Raúl Asencio can’t take it anymore: the terrible news about Carlo Ancelotti’s staff

The atmosphere surrounding Real Madrid is currently fraught with tension and uncertainty, a direct consequence of their recent humbling 3-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. While the tactical analysis of the match has been extensive, a more fundamental concern has begun to surface, one that casts a shadow over the entire team and, more specifically, over the methods and effectiveness of Carlo Ancelotti’s esteemed technical staff.

The initial spark for this growing unease was the news surrounding the physical condition of the young Spanish centre-back, Raúl Asencio. The 22-year-old prodigy, despite possessing undeniable talent and potential, has visibly struggled with his fitness in recent weeks, raising eyebrows and prompting questions about the overall physical preparedness of the Real Madrid squad.

With a professional career spanning a mere six months, Raúl Asencio found himself relegated to the bench during Real Madrid’s recent La Liga clash against Valencia on Matchday 30. Following the surprising 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu against Club Che, Carlo Ancelotti himself attributed this decision to the “intense fatigue” experienced by the talented young defender. This explanation only served to amplify the existing concerns, especially considering Asencio had also requested not to participate in extra time during the Copa del Rey semi-final encounter against Real Sociedad, again citing physical exhaustion.

The public acknowledgment of Raúl Asencio’s fatigue, particularly given his limited professional experience, immediately ignited a series of interrogations and doubts concerning the physical management of the Real Madrid players under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti’s technical staff. The spotlight has inevitably fallen on the renowned physical trainer, Antonio Pintus, whose rigorous training regimes have long been credited with Real Madrid’s impressive fitness levels in previous seasons.

The question now being asked by many within the Real Madrid fanbase and the wider footballing community is whether Antonio Pintus’s methods have perhaps reached their limitations or if they are no longer perfectly aligned with the evolving physical demands of the modern game and the specific needs of the current Real Madrid squad. Since his arrival at the club, Pintus has been widely recognized for his unwavering rigor and his undeniable expertise in the field of physical conditioning. However, the recent data emerging from Real Madrid’s performances in the Champions League has cast a significant veil of uncertainty over his current effectiveness.

The heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night brought to light a set of truly troubling statistics that have only intensified the scrutiny on Ancelotti’s staff. The most alarming of these figures is the total distance covered by the Real Madrid players throughout the match. Recording a mere 101.2 kilometers collectively, Real Madrid emerged as the team that ran the least among all eight quarter-finalists in the prestigious competition.

To put this figure into perspective, Arsenal, playing with a clear intensity and high pressing game, covered an impressive 113.6 kilometers. Even arch-rivals FC Barcelona, in their dominant victory, registered a higher distance covered at 115.7 kilometers. The teams that topped the charts in terms of physical exertion were Inter Milan, who astonishingly covered 125.6 kilometers, and Bayern Munich, who also surpassed the 123-kilometer mark. These figures clearly indicate that the physical performance of the Real Madrid players was significantly inferior to that of their counterparts in the Champions League.

These stark statistics inevitably call for a profound reflection on the underlying reasons behind Real Madrid’s apparent struggle to match the physical output of their rivals. Is this a deliberate tactical choice on the part of Carlo Ancelotti, or is it a manifestation of a genuine physical inability of the players to compete at the required level of intensity for the duration of a high-stakes Champions League encounter?

Carlo Ancelotti, known for his often understated and guarded responses in press conferences, has consistently maintained his stance that running as much as the opponent is not a prerequisite for winning football matches. This philosophy, while perhaps holding some validity in certain tactical contexts, appears to be increasingly challenged by the ever-growing physical demands of modern football, where the ability to press, track back, and maintain a high tempo for the entire duration of the game is often a crucial factor in achieving success.

The situation becomes even more concerning when examining the individual performances of Real Madrid’s key players in terms of distance covered during the match against Arsenal. Federico Valverde, typically one of the most energetic and tireless players in the Real Madrid squad, remarkably ranked only 15th among all players who participated in the Champions League quarter-final first legs. Jude Bellingham, another player renowned for his high work rate and dynamism in midfield, found himself in a relatively modest 32nd place in the same ranking. Even experienced defender Antonio Rüdiger, known for his physical presence and stamina, occupied a lowly 43rd position.

Perhaps the most alarming revelation from the statistical analysis is the performance of Real Madrid’s much-vaunted attacking trio. Among the five forwards who covered the least distance in the Champions League this season, a staggering three players wear the famous white jersey of Real Madrid: Kylian Mbappé (who covered just 8 kilometers), Vinicius Jr. (with a distance of 8.8 kilometers), and Rodrygo (who registered 9.5 kilometers). These figures raise serious questions about the pressing intensity and overall work rate of Real Madrid’s attacking unit in crucial Champions League matches.

These collective observations strongly suggest a sense of collective fatigue permeating the Real Madrid squad and potentially highlight areas where the management of the players’ physical condition might need to be re-evaluated and improved. As Real Madrid prepares to face the daunting task of overturning a three-goal deficit against Arsenal in the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, the growing concerns about the team’s physical preparedness cannot be ignored.

If a rapid and effective solution to these apparent physical limitations is not found in the coming days, Real Madrid’s campaign in the UEFA Champions League, a competition they have historically dominated, could very well come to a premature and disappointing end. Furthermore, the situation in La Liga, where they are also facing stiff competition, could become even more complicated if the team continues to struggle with fatigue and a lack of physical intensity. Finding a way to revitalize the squad’s energy levels and ensure they can compete physically with their rivals will be crucial to avoid a potentially catastrophic end to the season.

The pressure is undoubtedly immense on Carlo Ancelotti and his entire technical staff to identify and address these worrying trends in the team’s physical performance. One thing is certain: the situation surrounding Raúl Asencio’s inability to cope with the physical demands, coupled with the damning statistical data from the Champions League, serves as a clear and undeniable alarm signal that the club can no longer afford to overlook. The coming days will be critical in determining whether Ancelotti and his staff can find the answers and implement the necessary changes to reignite Real Madrid’s European dream and salvage their season.