Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Athletic Club | La Liga GW 32 | OneFootball

Real Madrid conceded a last-minute winner earlier this week as they lost the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against Arsenal. The overall tie ended 5-1 in the Gunners’ favour and it is clear that Mikel Arteta’s side were far superior.

Tomorrow night, however, Real Madrid return to action in La Liga where they trail Hansi Flick’s Barcelona by seven points. The opponent on the week, however, does not make it easy for it is Athletic Club who are on a good run of form.

Ernesto Valverde’s side are currently on a serious high and have no defeats in their last eight games across all competitions. Real Madrid, in contrast, have one win in four games.

The last time the two teams met this season, the Basque side registered a 2-1 win over Real Madrid at San Mames. Tomorrow’s game will be at the Santiago Bernabeu but not much easier.

Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Athletic Club.

A slump like none other

The UEFA Champions League has perennially remained Real Madrid’s single-biggest target and their progress in the competition is often the scale on which their season is measured.

On these parameters, the ongoing season can already be deemed a failure for the men in white, especially after they crashed out of the event on a 5-1 aggregate scoreline to Arsenal.

While Real Madrid’s slump this month can clearly be evidenced by their performance in the UCL, their poor run of form has extended across competitions with the team currently on three defeats in its last four games.

At this point, however, there is simply no room for further errors and Real Madrid must step up to recover in the competitions they continue to fight in.

Recovering from the sporting and psychological blow of the defeat to Arsenal, needless to say, will be key but Real Madrid must find a way to turn up tomorrow night irrespective of the situation.

Will Ancelotti take risks?

Hanging by a thread. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

If rumours are to be believed, Carlo Ancelotti may well be on his way out of Real Madrid although it is still not finalised.

With the pressure on him at an all-time high and having himself pressed against the wall to fight stronger in the league and the cup, Ancelotti may thus finally loosen up in terms of selections.

The Italian tactician has come under fire in recent months for alleged favouritism, especially in midfield, and it is now that he may well have a final chance to prove that he can make bolder decisions. Only that, after all, can save his job.

It thus remains to be seen if the coach rotates his starting lineup for the game against Ernesto Valverde’s side and finally gives minutes to the likes of Arda Guler and Endrick – both of whom have shone bright when given the chance.

The big question, however, is whether the coach will continue playing it safe in terms of his squad selection or will finally look to experiment with other players who can provide relief. After all, any win at this point will go a long way in helping Ancelotti keep his job.

Time to refocus

Getting eliminated from the UEFA Champions League may feel like the end of the world for a Real Madrid fan and perhaps the players as well. Notably, however, Los Blancos are still in the title race in La Liga and are alive in the Copa del Rey as well.

Refocusing the team’s objectives and resetting the expectations from this season, thus, are critical at this stage in the season, especially for players in the dressing room.

It is unclear how far the dressing room continues to lay faith in Carlo Ancelotti, especially after he has failed to bring any tactics to the table this season. However, the players must realise that the matchday is a critical one for the title race.

Earlier today, Barcelona appeared set to drop points against Celta Vigo in La Liga but mounted a late comeback win to take all three points.

The pressure now, thus, is on Real Madrid to see if they can reduce the deficit to four points or they let it remain at seven points. Refocusing on the objectives remaining, thus, is a must at this point.