Former Real Madrid striker Joselu Mato is the latest to try to diagnose their problems, as Xabi Alonso looks for a magic formula. The veteran was part of the successful Los Blancos side under Carlo Ancelotti for the past two seasons.
Despite having offers to continue from Real Madrid, along with several others from other European sides, Joselu decided to cash in and move to Al-Gharafa in Qatar, admitting that the offer was too good to pass up. Having played a key role in their Liga and Champions League runs, he moved on.
Speaking to Diario AS, Joselu highlighted the role Ancelotti played in their success.
“The most important thing. What stood out in the dressing room was his determination, the commitment of the players to him. He knew we would not let him down. His knowledge was very important. He was very open to talk. He understood that at Real Madrid, any kind of selfishness is more important than the whole team together. That is what made us champions. He was like a father to the team, to the team, to the team.”
What is it like to enter the Real Madrid dressing room?
Much has been made of the mystique of Real Madrid’s dressing room, and Alonso at least initially struggled to connect with some of his stars by all accounts. Joselu explained what it was like to get there.
“When I entered it it was like… wow! There was Kroos, Modric, veteran players who had been at Real Madrid for 10 or 12 years, Bellingham, who had just arrived, Vini, Fede, Carvajal, Lucas, Nacho, who I had played with before. The dressing room with Carva, Lucas, I had trained with Kroos, and Modric, in the first team, I knew the men’s kits, physios…”
Regarding their current affairs, Joselu liked to point out that the standard was set very high.
“They missed number nine, didn’t they? (laughs). The problem is that people compare the years when you win titles and the years when you don’t. We lost two games all year: one in La Liga and one in the Copa del Rey. We played six more and won all the others. It’s very difficult to repeat, regardless of the team: the best Barca, the best city, the best Madrid.
“Having a year like that where you win titles is complicated. Their pressure is to keep winning. They brought in Mbappe, the best striker in the world in terms of goals, Vinicius is a world star, Rodrygo is back to his best, Bellingham, Fede…
What are Real Madrid missing?
Under pressure, Joselu, who admitted that he continues to watch every Real Madrid game, felt a bit lacking.
“Maybe there is a lack of that competitive edge, that feeling. In the year we were there, almost 80% of the players felt what it means to wear a Real Madrid shirt, and it hurt them; until today, I don’t know if that feeling is lost or not. When you play with the real feeling of being a real Real Madrid fan, you get something more.”
“When you miss something, you have to have that feeling. I had it, and I saw that Nacho will kill the team, that Carvajal will kill the team even with a knee injury, Lucas Vazquez the same, Fede the same, Vini gives everything and is a die-hard Real Madrid fan…”
Carvajal, now the captain, will return in 2026 for their first game against Real Betis. Other veterans such as David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger have been in and out due to injuries, while Valverde has struggled to establish himself in midfield. The two players who have increased the most are Kylian Mbappe and Thibaut Courtois.
