New reports suggest the club’s star-studded trio is creating a tactical imbalance that even Xabi Alonso couldn’t fix before his departure.
As Real Madrid reels from their shock Copa del Rey exit and managerial instability, a deeper, more structural issue is emerging at the Valdebebas training ground. According to prominent journalist Mario Cortegana of The Athletic, the club’s struggles might not have been a “coaching problem” at all, but rather a fundamental flaw in squad construction.
The “Incompatibility” Clause A source closely involved with the squad last season revealed a harsh reality regarding the team’s three biggest stars: Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr., and Jude Bellingham.
“The problem isn’t Xabi [Alonso],” the source told The Athletic. “Mbappé, Vinícius Jr., and Bellingham are incompatible; you simply cannot have a balanced team with those three playing together.”
The tactical dilemma stems from the players’ preferred zones on the pitch and a perceived lack of defensive work rate, which has left the team exposed against lower-tier opponents like Albacete.
Egos and Training Ground Tension The reports also shed light on the final days of Xabi Alonso’s tenure. While Arbeloa now holds the reins, he inherits a dressing room described as having “very large egos.”
According to Marca, Alonso’s frustration boiled over in November when he noticed a “lack of commitment” during training sessions. Players reportedly responded to tactical instructions with “sullen faces and whispers,” leading to an environment where the squad “wasn’t interested in training.” One player reportedly stated, “It’s crystal clear that this isn’t a training problem,” hinting at deeper friction between the stars and the coaching philosophy.
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Fans Turn on the Stars In a rare move at the Santiago Bernabéu, the fans appear to have sided with the management rather than the players. Vinícius Jr. has recently been the target of boos from the stands during underperformances, a sign that the Madridistas are losing patience with the “Galácticos 3.0” era.
Arbeloa’s Impossible Task? Interim boss Álvaro Arbeloa now faces the daunting challenge of managing these egos until a permanent successor—potentially Julian Nagelsmann—arrives. His success will depend on whether he can do what Alonso couldn’t: find a way to make three of the world’s best players function as a cohesive unit.
Siara Costa is a football editor and writer covering both European men’s and women’s football, with a focus on league competitions, match coverage, and in-depth storytelling.
