Frustrated Real Madrid No Longer Stages Comebacks, Hopes Only for a Miracle

Real Madrid no longer stages comebacks. Not in individual matches, and it increasingly appears, not over the course of the season. The draw against Girona leaves a familiar feeling from this campaign – less about the result itself, and more about the team's overall state. This marks their third consecutive slip-up (two in La Liga and one in the Champions League – their worst run of the season), creating a sense that by mid-April, everything is irrevocably slipping away. Only one last chance remains: Wednesday's match in Munich. But at this moment, a comeback feels more like wishful thinking than a realistic possibility.

The context leading up to the visit to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena suggested something more. The lineup Álvaro Arbeloa used as a dress rehearsal included names like Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, and Éder Militão. Yet, football once again reminded everyone that simply assembling talent isn't enough – you have to make it work. And that hasn't been happening for a long time. Not under Carlo Ancelotti, nor Xabi Alonso, nor Arbeloa.

Real had one moment – about 20 minutes at the start of the second half – where they seemed closer to their expected level, primarily thanks to Valverde. More rhythm, more ideas, a degree of control. But it was a brief illusion.

The end of the match brought back the familiar picture: a fragmented team, lacking structure and consistency. They were closer to conceding a goal than creating one, more reliant on individual flashes of brilliance than a collective plan. That's where the match slipped away – and, it seems, La Liga. Munich remains their last chance, but also the toughest test for a team facing a very difficult 45 days if a miracle doesn't happen in the Champions League.

One might think that due to a lack of playing time, Dani Carvajal is no longer at Real's level, but his performance against Girona disproved that. He started and played a solid match – without unnecessary flair, but with his characteristic reliability. Good in defense, useful in ball progression, and competitive enough to raise the question of whether he deserves a spot ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold in such a crucial game.

The captain's problem is different: Arbeloa doesn't see him in optimal physical condition and will most likely opt for the Englishman against Bayern. A decision dictated more by physical state than a significant difference in class.

Real once again relied on Valverde, but this time it wasn't enough for a win. At 0-0, the Uruguayan was one of the few who injected life into the game. He scored with a powerful shot (with an assist from Paulo Gazzaniga) and briefly looked like he could carry the team. But it remained a momentary impulse – Real couldn't sustain it.

In this context, despite the attention on Vinicius and Mbappé, the most consistent player remains Valverde – even in a match where it wasn't enough.

Thomas Lemar has three goals this season – against Sevilla, Barcelona, and Real Madrid. The Frenchman played a strong game at the Bernabéu and scored a fantastic goal. He exploited the space Real's defense afforded him and fired an unstoppable shot past Andriy Lunin, who continues to concede spectacular goals.

In Munich, a night looms that could define the season – and even careers. Including Mbappé's, who faces a difficult question: what does a second season without trophies mean at a club like Real? It's also a personal question – he came to make a difference, but so far, the results don't support it. His goals are plentiful, but they aren't bringing titles. On Wednesday, all eyes will be on him – the price of being the best.

The officiating also sparked discontent. The situation with Mbappé was absurd – a yellow card for protesting after being fouled in a situation where he had already bypassed two opponents. At the same time, Arnau Martínez elbowed Fran García without punishment. No card, no explanation.

This is a symptom of a deeper problem – an interpretation of the game that seems detached from reality. Football is gradually forgetting that it is a contact sport.

In a retro round of La Liga, the referees paid homage to the 1994 World Cup in the USA – the first tournament where black kits were replaced with colored ones. Adidas created a pink, yellow, and black collection then, and it was the black variant with patterns that Javier Alberola Rojas chose for the Real Madrid – Girona match.

Commentary by Juan Ignacio García-Ochoa for "Marca"