Real Madrid s dusk game: When the coach s seat becomes the center of the power vortex, the players are in a mess

At the Valdebebas training base on April 30, 2025, the roar of lawn trimmers cannot cover the whispers in the locker room. When Ancelotti set out the 12th set of defensive plans against Arsenal on the tactical board, the Brazilian Football Association's official website quietly updated the statement: "After friendly negotiations, the coaching negotiations with Ancelotti will not be promoted for the time being." This 47-day tug-of-war ended with Real Madrid's mouthpiece Marca revealing that "there are differences in the amount of severance payments" but left a crisis of trust in the locker room that reached a deep crib of floor tiles. Real Madrid's Champions League trip this season came to an abrupt end when the Emirates Stadium scoreboard was frozen 1-3 when the scoreboard of the Emirates Stadium was frozen on April 18. The total score of 1-5 in two rounds set a record for the biggest score difference between the Champions League knockout stage in the team history. Matteo Moretto, a reporter from Spain's "Relevo" pointed out sharply in the column: "When Vinicius was still trying to pass the rainbow in the 78th minute, and the score on the field was 0-3, the team's tactical discipline was gone." UEFA's official technical report shows that Real Madrid only created three excellent opportunities in two rounds. Compared with Arsenal's 17 shots, the Galaxy's offensive system is like a rusty precision instrument.

The more deadly crack appeared on the coach's seat. Assistant coach Mauri proposed to change into a three-center-back at the pre-match meeting of the second leg, but was rejected by Ancelotti. Internal video obtained by Ass shows that the Italian coach emphasized at the time: "We must win the game in the most Real Madrid way." However, the so-called "Real Madrid way" turned into a bubble under Arsenal's high-pressure - Valverde admitted after the game: "We know how the opponent will play, but we are not prepared to deal with it." During the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, the Brazilian Football Association representative Diego Costa appeared in the Bernabeu VIP box and was captured by the broadcast camera. This contact, which should have been kept confidential, was exposed due to a leaked photo of a lunch together by a Brazilian reporter. Although Florentino publicly stated that he "understands the coach's career plan", the Brazilian delegation reappeared in the stands of the Cup del Rey final on April 29 completely ignited the furious furious locker room. The Brazilian Football Association finally admitted in a statement: "The negotiations were temporarily suspended due to differences in career planning between the two sides."

This tug-of-war left many mysteries: Why did the offer with an annual salary of 18 million euros fail to impress Ancelotti? Key documents obtained by Marca from Saudi sources show that the contract issued by Riyadh Crescent contains special terms for forming an "all-star coaching team", which explains why Ancelotti's son Davide has frequently contacted the brokerage company recently.

"He has been thinking about other things this month, how can he take us to compete for the championship?" After being eliminated from the Champions League, a Real Madrid player complained to "Relevo" to unveil the tip of the iceberg of the locker room. This doubt is not groundless: in the league against Valencia, when Ancelotti replaced Bellingham in the 63rd minute, the action of England's midfielder throwing towel was recorded in full. Senior team reporter Tomás González-Martin analyzed: "When the coach's substitution decision needs to be explained to the players rather than executed directly, the authority has collapsed."

This loss of control is confirmed in the training data: According to the April training report released by Real Madrid's official website, the completion rate of tactical drills plummeted from 82% to 67%, and the defensive conversion error rate rose to the highest 23% of the season. The medical team pointed out in an internal meeting: "Some players' recovery attitudes need to be improved." When World Sports exposed photos of Ancelotti's office sorting, the 2014 Champions League trophy model on the bookshelf looked particularly dazzling. This detail reflects Real Madrid's current dilemma: the meritorious coach and the club are experiencing a subtle "breakup cooling-off period". Florentino's silence is like an accurate timer - neither publicly supporting the coach nor starting the change process. This ambiguous attitude has continuously expanded the power vacuum in the locker room.

The cover letter sent by assistant coach Mauri to Getafe, the meeting records of David Ancelotti and Mendes, and even the sudden increase in the number of days off for physical coach Pintus, form a puzzle of the coaching staff's "Victory Escape". Even Modric said in an interview: "Concentration is a resource that is more scarce than talent." In Valdebebas in the early morning, Ancelotti's private car arrived two hours earlier than usual. Staff noticed that he was carrying a carton with Real Madrid's logo, while Vinicius and Rodrigo's shooting practice were still laughing. This sense of separation is a microcosm of contemporary wealthy families - when the coaching seat becomes a chessboard for power games, football on the lawn becomes the least important prop. As the National Post said: "The dusk of the Bernabeu is never just the dusk of someone, but the curtain call of the entire era."