Three observations from Real Madrid’s 3-1 loss to AC Milan

You’d hope that, as a fan of the team that is supposed to be the best in the world, you do not get to write many of these intros. But, in this case, you do. Real Madrid have just lost 3-1 at home to Milan in the Champions League, leaving them at 17th before the remainder of matchday four is played on Wednesday. it is not looking good. Here are three observations.

Collective failure in midfield and defense
Usually, the silver lining after a terrible result like the one nine days ago against Barcelona, is that it is assumed that the club would look for a comeback. It would look to put the bad loss past them, and work on improving things.

Real Madrid players and coaches spent the week talking about how they need to be better defensively. It was obvious, but then going from that, to making the same mistakes against Milan is, quite frankly, baffling and shameful. The only reason Real Madrid didn’t lose by four goals here is not because they played much better than they did against their eternal rivals; it is because the team they were facing were just not as good and clinical as Barcelona.

Milan, who have only won once away from home this season, battered Real Madrid in their own backyard. A 3-1 scoreline is flattering, because if it wasn’t for Andriy Lunin’s heroics in goal, it could have been far worse.

The defense was a mess. The midfield looked disjointed. You could fit a blue whale in the gap between Real Madrid’s defensive and midfield lines. It is genuinely woeful and embarrassing how a team with as many superstars as Real Madrid could play the way they are playing, like they don’t even want to win anymore, like they are entitled.

The defensive mistakes that the team is making week in, and week out are surprising even for the people who somehow knew this would happen. It is so easy for opposition players to bypass Real Madrid’s midfield as if they are pieces of wood and go unmarked into the box with no coverage from the defenders.