The international press asks: is Real Madrid’s European dominance over?

Real Madrid’s exit from the Champions League has become a hot topic in the Spanish and European press, which has treated the elimination as more than just an ordinary defeat, but rather a ‘resounding collapse’ for a team historically associated with continental dominance and decisive moments.

Real Madrid: game over?

In Spain, the newspaper Marca devoted extensive coverage to the event, arguing that Real Madrid had “lost its European identity” and was no longer a team capable of turning results around in difficult moments. It pointed to repeated defensive errors and a lack of the usual resilience, alongside a lack of leadership on the pitch and a failure to react after falling behind.

For its part, the newspaper ‘AS’ offered a harsher assessment, describing what happened as a “complete tactical collapse”, explaining that the team failed to grasp the rhythm of the match and impose its style at any stage. It also highlighted the lack of effectiveness in midfield, weak pressing and organisation, alongside an attacking impotence and a lack of solutions, in a match it described as revealing a clear loss of the battle of the details.

As for ‘Mundo Deportivo’, it focused on the psychological aspect within the team, noting that tension was evident among the players, that body language reflected frustration and a lack of confidence, and that the team spirit that had characterised the side in its previous historic comebacks was absent. In the same vein, ‘Sport’ argued that the elimination should not be seen merely as a result, but as evidence of a “deeper crisis”, amidst an unstable transitional phase and a decline in the effectiveness of tactical choices.

In the Madrid press, reports pointed to a tense atmosphere in the dressing room after the match, with some players blaming one another, amidst a general feeling that an avoidable opportunity had been squandered.

Across Europe, questions are being asked

At the European level, the French newspaper L’Équipe described what happened as “the downfall of a team that relied too heavily on its history”, arguing that overconfidence had become a weakness and that the opposition were better organised and deserved to progress. In England, The Guardian viewed the match as a “revelatory moment”, asserting that Real Madrid is no longer the team that commands respect across the continent, with the gap between them and their rivals narrowing. Meanwhile, the BBC focused on technical shortcomings, pointing to a lack of balance between the lines and a decline in the ability to cope with the pressure of big matches.

Conversely, several newspapers were unanimous in their praise for the opponents, who succeeded in dictating the tempo and capitalising on Real Madrid’s mistakes, setting an example of organisation and discipline against a team that had lost much of its usual character.

Amid these contrasting views, the headlines summed up the situation with striking bluntness: “Real Madrid without spirit”, “A team that has lost its identity”, and “A collapse at the decisive moment”, raising questions that now dominate the discourse: does Real Madrid’s European prestige still stand, or has a new era truly begun in the club’s history?

Featured image via the Canary