You’ve got no fans.
Real Madrid are in turmoil, which is not a phrase you often here. Often, what constitutes a ‘crisis’ at a big club can be insultingly insignificant, but it is not an exaggeration to say that the European Champions are an absolute mess.
They are currently fifth in LaLiga, ten points behind league leaders Barcelona, and have only managed to pick up one point from their past two league matches, against Villarreal and Real Sociedad. They let Santi Cazorla score a header for christ’s sake.
There is no single factor that has caused them to embark on a downward spiral this season, although you could say it all stems back to selling Cristiano Ronaldo. But even without him, there is enough quality in the squad to win the matches they’re not.
Unsurprisingly, being the most demanding and the most fickle fanbase in world football, the fans have become disillusioned. Back in August, the club had its lowest attendance for ten years, when just 48,466 fans came to the Santiago Bernabeu to watch them play.
Tonight, they broke that record again.
In a Copa del Rey tie against fellow Madrid side Leganés, just 44,000 fans came through the turnstiles to watch Santi Solari’s team, their lowest attendance in 10 years – a record they have now broken twice in one season.
Just 44,000 at the Bernabéu tonight. 54% attendance.https://t.co/xX8dLpiGgn pic.twitter.com/tZSIo8rgJZ
— AS USA (@English_AS) January 9, 2019
44,000 is almost quadruple what Leganés’ Butarque stadium holds, but for the “biggest club in the world” it’s pretty abysmal.
Big changes are needed at Madrid, and soon. This sort of form must improve soon, or heads will roll.
