3 positions without an owner: Which is Real Madrid’s biggest problem this season

Real Madrid went into this season as heavy favourites for the Liga title, and were also favoured to win the Champions League. Adding Kylian Mbappe and Endrick Felipe to a squad that has just come off the back of a double is a fairly strong statement, but Los Blancos have not had the start that many had expected.

Their stacked squad and Carlo Ancelotti’s cool management have them as top dogs on sites like luckyblock.com Here are some of the obstacles that could get in the way of their triumph this season.

Without injuries, it is fair to say that Los Blancos have a strong set of central defenders, but their pursuit of Leny Yoro this summer was clear evidence that Real Madrid did feel there was space for another. While they decided not to sign an alternative to Yoro, it has become clear they planned to have him.

Instead, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are joined by Jesus Vallejo. The latter is not expected to play much of a part, and Aurelien Tchouameni has also operated well there in the past. With Alaba out for at least another month though, Carlo Ancelotti is just one injury from making uncomfortable choices. It also relies on Militao and Alaba remaining fit.

Real Madrid have an array of talented midfielders in Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Luka Modric, Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga, but not of profiles. The absence of Toni Kroos has been felt early on, with Los Blancos struggling to break down low blocks, and having less control of the tempo.

Ceballos and Modric are players that can help with that, but the former has not done so regularly for some time, and there are doubts about the latter’s ability to do so for a full match. Valverde is an essential in any Real Madrid side managed by Carlo Ancelotti, but he does not have the finesse or vision of the top players that direct matters at the top level of the game, and thus far, neither of the French options have shown that either.

While they have an array of talent up top, Ancelotti is still working on fitting all of Rodrygo Goes, Mbappe and Vinicius Junior together. That may well happen, and last season it showed that a more fluid system can function. However he will either have to have Mbappe, Bellingham or Vinicius as a presence in the box. Endrick Felipe could be that off the bench, but it is hard not to feel that Joselu Mato’s exit leaves them without the same balance.

All of these are issues that can be solved, and some more minor than others, but early on the Madrid-based press have questioned the squad-building this summer. Even so, Ancelotti has made a living out of fitting star talents together, and his track records suggests he has a good chance of doing it again.