What has happened to Real Madrid?

Having made a dreadful start to the defence of their La Liga title, questions are beginning to be asked. What has happened to Real Madrid?

Jose Mourinho wants answers on the eve of the resumption of the Champions League.

Real slipped to a 1-0 defeat on Saturday night to Sevilla, leaving them in the unfamiliar position of tenth in the table.

With just one win from four games and trailing bitter rivals Barcelona by eight points already, questions are being asked both by the ‘Special One’ and the press in Spain.

What has happened over the summer to one of the super powers of the European game?

Champions League hangover

Madrid might have cruised to the title in Spain last season but there was real belief that they could go on and win the Champions League too, which would have been their first triumph in the competition since 2002.

Zinedine Zidane’s breathtaking volley in the final at Hampden Park now seems a lifetime ago.

When Barca were dumped out by a resolute Chelsea outfit, expectancy rose in Madrid that they could become the best, not just in Spain but in Europe too.

However, Bayern Munich came and spoiled the party at the Bernabeu just 24 hours after Barcelona’s demise from the competition.

Some luck was needed but the Germans advanced to the final on penalties as Jose had to experience semi-final pain on a penalty shootout for the second time in five years.

Although it doesn’t have to be pictured as the main reason for the sudden loss of form, it wouldn’t be wild to suggest that this could have something to do with their very slow start this time around.

An unhappy Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent tantrum of feeling unhappy at the club didn’t help matters.

Ronaldo was by far the side’s best performer in Seville at the weekend but he doesn’t look like his usual self.

For a player to question their desire at one of the greatest clubs in the world is surprising.

Ronaldo has never been short of having something to say or to have a traditional sulk if things aren’t going right.

Mourinho might have had to have words with the Portuguese star behind closed doors in an attempt to calm the murmurs of discontent down.

For now, this chapter seems to be closed but I don’t think this story will go away and it must raise a question about team spirit within the Madrid dressing room.

Time to perform

Other players are simply not performing to the required standard that the manager would expect.

On Saturday, Angel Di Maria and Mesut Ozil (pictured with Ronaldo), couldn’t seem to do anything right and both were sacrificed by an angry Mourinho at half-time at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

The Argentine was careless in possession and never offered an attacking threat. In reality, he has struggled since his big money move from Benfica two seasons ago.

Ozil has had two international games with his country and scored three times over the break for Germany as they made an excellent start to World Cup qualification.

Like Di Maria, his impact in a Madrid shirt hasn’t been as much of a success as many have hoped.

Luka Modric appeared from the bench in the second half and offered something different.

Perhaps Di Maria and Ozil will pay for their dodgy club form and end up sitting on the bench for an extended period.

Plenty of options

When a player isn’t performing, he has to be dropped in today’s modern world and it isn’t like Mourinho doesn’t have a wealth of options available to him.

His bench on Saturday of outfield players contained Raul Albiol, Michael Essien, Kaka, Jose Callejon, Modric and Karim Benzema.

Perhaps a change in personnel will kick-start Real’s season before it is too late. Too many players in the starting 11 seem to have taken positions for granted of late.

After the match, the former Porto and Inter Milan head coach said: “We have only really played well in the Spanish Super Cup, nowhere else.

“I am worried that in this moment I don’t have a team. There are very few heads that are committed and concentrated.”

“Congratulations to Sevilla, they deserved to win without any doubt. We got the prize we deserved considering how badly we played.”

“At the break, I changed two players but I wanted to change seven!”

City come calling

The nine time European champions have English title holders Manchester City visit the Spanish capital for their Champions League Group D opener on Tuesday night.

This will not only be a real test for Roberto Mancini but a good indication of how much focus and desire this Madrid side really has at the moment.

They have the ability to destroy any side on the planet, so don’t be too surprised if they turn in a world class performance.

Also with the defence of their La Liga title already looking in tatters, more concentration could be given to a competition Los Blancos craves and is desperate to win again.

Whatever is going on at the Bernabeu, this lax opening means it is the toughest period in the magnificent management career of Jose Mourinho so far.

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88