Is it too early to call Real Madrid ‘revolutionised’? Ask any fan of Los Blancos, and they’ll tell you yes. But, so far, so good, under the leadership of coach Xabi Alonso, who is quite clearly playing a different game to Carlo Ancelotti. It’s a playing style that players and fans have been crying out for. Finally, emerging players and new players aren’t spending a season sitting on the bench like they have in the past with Ancelotti, who preferred his tried-and-tested formulas.

As for judging the team on the Champions League performances or La Liga, it’s 30/70. Read on to find out more.

The Champions League or La Liga?

The Champions League is prestigious, but everyone knows that this team, with Kylian Mbappe finally performing like we all knew Mbappe could, has to beat Barcelona and claim the league title. 

Then again, if they don’t make it to the final of the Champions League again this year, after failing to get there in the 2024/25 tournament, critics and self-proclaimed experts (the fans) will judge just as harshly.

Basically, for Real Madrid, it’s a lose-lose…unless they win-win. There’s no way they can have a team like they do – Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jude Bellingham, and you could keep going – and not win the La Liga title and the Champions League.

Any Real Madrid fan will tell you that every year, the most important title is always the Champions League. La Liga matters, but the Champions League title matters more.

The Champions League

So, for the 70% that will weight more judgement on the Champions League performance, this one is for you.

To be fair to Real Madrid, they played abysmally during the 2024/25 tournament. And, yes, that was us being fair. How they got to the quarter finals is beyond us. They were knocked out by Arsenal, in a resounding defeat. This year, it seems like it could be different. Mbappe has finally reached his prime, the new signings look incredible, and Bellingham will soon be back from injury.

The odds to bet on Champions League games will typically favour Madrid, thanks to their position as a powerhouse and that, even if performing poorly, they tend to defy odds and win the games they maybe shouldn’t. But the true decider of how Madrid are likely to perform this year will come on November 4th, when Los Blancos return to Anfield for their first time since their 2024 2-0 loss against the Reds.

La Liga

This one is a touchy subject. Fans are already screaming that Barcelona are still paying the referees. And if they aren’t, then referees simply prefer Barcelona. Watch this video of the penalty given to Barcelona, one they claim wasn’t VAR checked due to a conveniently timed breakdown of the technology, and form your own opinion.

Returning to Real Madrid, the signs are positive that they heading back towards its peak performance. Despite that, there are still clear issues. Alonso needs to configure his forward setup, and ensure his midfield can hold up against the best in the game. Vinicius is lacking consistency, while Rodrygo spent most of the summer trying to leave the club, with Mbappe the only one putting in solid performances.

Still, it’s 4/4 wins so far, and they’re top of the league. Let’s see how long it stays that way. Either way, Alonso is under heavy pressure in both competitions, but the expectations is that he wins both. Asked what they would prefer though most Real Madrid fans will answer the European Cup.