Real Madrid suffered a crushing defeat to Barcelona over the weekend.
To be honest, as a fan, that was a disgraceful exhibition of football from a team to which you devote so much hope and optimism. There was just one reason why Los Blancos fell despite their early advantage.
In his most recent podcast (via MadridXtra on X), former Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos revealed the objective reality behind Madrid's defeat.
He said, "Even after the 2-0, I had doubts that the game would go in Real Madrid's favor, to be fair. For me, it was a blessing to go 2-0 up. Barcelona continued playing as if nothing had happened. You can't tell they were afraid of losing. Real Madrid were still having doubts after that 2-0."
Kroos' verdict reflects just the truth. The former player correctly decoded why Madrid lost, and it had nothing to do with football at all. It was all about mentality and confidence issues.
This season, Los Blancos have struggled with confidence, resulting in losses in some of the most critical games in the contests.
The problem, in addition to the obvious lack of sporting unity, is their overconfidence in their own ability. Yes, the club is filled of world-class players who excel as individuals, but they have failed as a unit this season.
In the game against Barcelona, the team became overconfident after taking a two-goal lead and paid the price for it. A hefty price, I must proclaim.
At the same time, the other side of the coin might be argued that some players are simply too underconfident.
As Kroos correctly pointed out, even after Madrid took the lead, Barcelona continued to play as if nothing had occurred, while Los Blancos questioned their lead.
I believe that, while these difficulties are diametrically opposed, they can and do coexist within the Madrid team.
It makes me laugh to recall the remontada promises made by all of the key players following the first leg against Arsenal, only for them to perform even worse in the second leg.
The squad is full of confidence, but it only applies to individuals. Players understand their powers, which is a positive thing.
But believing in oneself is one thing; considering yourself the master of your craft is another. Real Madrid have an overconfidence problem with individual players that is not reflected as a team.