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Two late Real Madrid goals at Borussia Monchengladbach perhaps prevented any real conversation about crisis. Tuesday’s 2-2 draw, however, doesn’t tell the full story: this was a Champions League performance that only magnified doubts about Zinedine Zidane’s team on another night that seemed to confirm that the era of Spanish rule in Europe was over.
A single point in their first two games means that Real Madrid is in serious danger of failing to beat their Champions League group for the first time since 1997. On all the previous occasions, Madrid have been in a group, they have progressed. After winning three Champions League titles in a row, Madrid have been eliminated in the round of 16 in each of the last two seasons. This time it may not even get that far.
Last week’s loss to a second team, Shakhtar Donetsk, felt monstrous, the result of a lousy first half. But two familiar traits stood out, worryingly: Madrid’s physical shyness and the lethargic nature of much of their attack. Against Mönchengladbach, Madrid were once again outmatched both physically and in speed, and again seemed boringly predictable going forward. If Madrid’s hope was that Saturday’s El Clásico victory was a sign that all was suddenly going well at the club, it was soon fading. In hindsight, that victory perhaps simply highlighted how far Barcelona had fallen. When Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu resigned on Tuesday with the comment that he and his board had approved the club’s participation in a European Super League that did not yet exist, it was impossible to avoid the idea that you can see why the European elite feel they need it. If this is how you will play against the currently sixth team in the Bundesliga.
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All the family problems, all the problems that have plagued Real Madrid against Cádiz and then Shakhtar were there again in Germany. Zidane’s team started quite well against an unusually cautious Monchenladbach, and perhaps there was confidence there in the early stages. But there was a lack of rhythm and imagination in his game, and the longer the first half went on, the more comfortable Monchenladbach seemed.
In recent years, Spanish teams have repeatedly battled physically aggressive teams. Whenever Mönchenladbach pressed, Madrid seemed restless, and the first goal came from Toni Kroos being dispossessed twice in quick succession. Marcus Thuram launched a powerful side shot at goal, but the goal was created by a remarkably accurate nutmeg pass from Alassane Plea after Sergio Ramos was pulled off the baseline to face, not particularly effectively, with a ball. long.
Madrid started the second half as they had the first, with an attacking streak, and Marcos Asensio, who had been by far their most dangerous player, hit the crossbar with a rebounding volley.
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But the carelessness remained. As Thuram advanced just before the hour mark, no one closed it. Plea’s volley was saved by Thibaut Courtois, but, with Ferlan Mendy loitering lazily around the goal line where he hadn’t been able to avoid a cross, Thuram stayed to the side to test for the rebound. Only a good save from Courtois prevented Plea from putting Madrid 3-0 behind for the second consecutive Champions League game, and two other good opportunities were wasted.
However, in the last 10 minutes, Monchenladbach was exhausted. He had chances to break, many, but tired limbs missed passes and tired brains chose the wrong option. At the same time, a kind of muscle memory came into play for Madrid and the pressure began to mount. Karim Benzema shot one back as Casemiro struggled to keep the ball in play with a header past the back post. Then, three minutes after injury time, Casemiro connected the tie when Sergio Ramos crossed the goal again for him.
The sense of Spanish decline was intensified by events in Madrid, where Atlético achieved an unconvincing 3-2 victory over Salzburg thanks to Joao Félix’s second goal with five minutes remaining. Yet once again, the Spanish team was plagued by far less resourceful opponents who seemed sharper and more intelligent. After a 4-0 loss at Bayern Munich last week, Atlético can at least be relatively confident of their progress.
Real Madrid, however, face Inter in each of their next two games. Antonio Conte’s team fared much better in a 0-0 draw against Shakhtar, but, not for the first time, they failed to make the most of their dominance. His pressure and pace, however, will annoy Madrid. The cracks that the late comeback masked could be exposed very quickly next week.
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