Real Madrid: Red Card and Lack of a Playmaker

Mourinho and the Midfield That Still Hasn't Arrived

Real Madrid concluded matchday 7 of the 2026/27 season with one less player, a penalty against them, and the feeling that Mourinho's project is cracking sooner than expected. A calculation circulating on the forum sums up the frustration better than any report: 750 million euros spent in three years and not a single playmaking midfielder. The match against Atlético, with three potential red card incidents reviewed inconsistently, lit the fuse.

What Peine in the Atlético Match: Three Possible Red Cards and One Standard

The summary hurts. Madrid finished with one man down after Huijsen's expulsion for a penalty, while a tackle on Fede Valverde and other opponent actions went unpunished. Some fans are crying foul; others argue the team isn't competing and hasn't for years. The discussion isn't so much about specific plays as it is about the standard: what is reviewed by VAR and what is overlooked. That's where the anger becomes structural.

No Midfield: The Hole Money Couldn't Fill

Tchouaméni, Camavinga, and Valverde are not pure playmakers, and the team notices it with every ball clearance. The criticism has been repeated for three or four seasons, even with Kroos and Modric on the squad. This cycle, according to a fan's calculation, 70 million euros weren't enough to sign Rodri, and the gap remains open. They need midfielders and defenders; what they have, apart from one or two players at the back, isn't considered Real Madrid level. The diagnosis is shared even by those who argue that refereeing is a factor.

The Star Jam: Vinicius, Mbappé, and Bellingham in the Same Lane

Upfront, there are plenty of names but a lack of balance. Vinicius, Mbappé, and Bellingham occupy overlapping zones, and the feeling that hierarchies dictate who can't be benched limits any rotation. Add to that the absence of a pure center forward to pin back defenses. The result is a congested attack: without fluidity when the ball reaches the final third, as is often repeated, with only the occasional through pass as an exception. The analysis attributing all ills to the refereeing finds its counterpoint here.

Why Madrid Plays Three Consecutive Away Games

The theory of an asymmetric schedule—three consecutive away games, the first against Barcelona—has a less conspiratorial explanation, according to a forum participant: the NFL. The club reportedly asked to play matchdays 10, 11, and 12 away from home. The argument somewhat deflates the suspicion, although the wear and tear is real. And in the background remains the uncomfortable question: when an demanding schedule, a weak midfield, and perceived unequal refereeing standards coincide, where do you focus the blame? The answer has divided the fanbase for years.