If you wanted to sum up Real Madrid’s defensive woes in these early stages of the season, you only needed to look at the gestures made by Aurelien Tchouameni and David Alaba after goals conceded against Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid (albeit Takefusa Kubo’s goal to make it 2-0 in the former fixture was then disallowed for offside).
These were different games with different team-mates and different final results, but both players reacted in the same way: turning around, putting their hands on their hips and looking to their left.
This is no coincidence.
Left-back has long been a problem position for Madrid. Last season, Ferland Mendy’s constant injury struggles meant midfielder Eduardo Camavinga was tried there. This summer, Madrid re-signed their academy graduate Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano to bolster their options in the position, but the 24-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes since returning.
At the start of pre-season, head coach Carlo Ancelotti decided to reformulate the 4-3-3 system he has used for much of his two spells at Madrid, giving even more importance to the full-backs in a 4-4-2 diamond system without wingers.
“The system has pros and cons,” Ancelotti said in the press conference after the 3-1 defeat to city rivals Atletico. “It’s more difficult for us to control the flanks.”
That was clear in his side’s painful derby loss, in which right-back Dani Carvajal was also missing due to a muscular injury (he is back for tonight’s game against Las Palmas). They were vulnerable from both sides, but particularly at left-back.
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It has not been an easy start for Garcia, who has been Madrid’s starting left-back while Mendy continues to recover from a thigh injury he suffered in pre-season. Formed in the club’s youth academy, he became a key player for Rayo after initially joining on loan in 2020.
That convinced Madrid to activate a €5million (£4.3m; $5.3m) buy-back option, although Garcia was never their favourite for the role — many at the Bernabeu preferred Miguel Gutierrez, who was a year younger than Garcia and who had left Madrid for Girona in 2022.
Madrid fought off interest from other teams including Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen for Garcia in January and the deal was made official in June. It meant they finally had a second left-back after the departure of club legend Marcelo a year earlier and a player who could rotate with Mendy.
Garcia’s return hasn’t gone to plan so far (Photo by David S.Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images).
In the 23 matches and 92 days that Mendy missed due to successive injuries last season (according to Transfermarkt), Ancelotti turned to Camavinga. The versatile France international performed well in that position, but the club and the player were not happy with the idea of him playing there long-term. Camavinga also realised just how difficult it was to play left-back for Madrid and, according to sources who wish to remain anonymous to protect relationships, joked with Mendy: “Now I know how it feels, how complex it is.”
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Camavinga is right about playing left-back, particularly at Madrid, where the shadows of two Brazilian icons in Roberto Carlos and Marcelo loom large. Carlos made that position his own at the Bernabeu from 1996-2007 and was succeeded by Marcelo from 2007 until his departure after the club’s 14th European Cup triumph.
The position has become even more difficult with the 4-4-2 diamond formation, where full-backs are given an entire flank to patrol and have more responsibility in both defence and attack. Garcia is a more attacking left-back than Mendy but has looked hesitant, despite Ancelotti being happy with the new signing.
Marcelo (left) and Roberto Carlos (centre) in 2007 (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images).
Garcia’s poor backpass led to Borja Mayoral’s opening goal when Madrid faced Getafe, while he suffered against Real Sociedad winger Kubo as well. The full-back recovered against Getafe to produce two assists that sealed a 2-1 comeback win but was left on the bench in his side’s first Champions League game against Union Berlin — even though Mendy had not yet recovered. Ancelotti opted to play Alaba at left-back instead, which was understood in the dressing room as a message that Mendy is still the Italian’s first choice when fit.
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Mendy’s physical issues have caused some doubts at Madrid, with reports this summer suggesting the club would accept an offer for him. But Ancelotti has let the Frenchman know that he is the left-back who best fulfils the defensive requirements he needs in his squad. Mendy did not contemplate an exit and would retire at the Bernabeu if he could, but was ruled out with injury again for two months during the club’s preseason tour of the U.S.
That caused another headache at left-back and raised the possibility of Camavinga deputising in that role again. While the club do not want to consider this alternative, the absence of a top-class, injury-free player in this position leaves Ancelotti in an uncomfortable position.
In principle, the Madrid boss plans to rotate between Mendy and Garcia when both are available, allowing the former more rest. But the fact is that left-back remains a problem — and it does not look like that will be solved unless another player is signed in the near future.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
