Real Madrid Locker Room Says ‘We’ve Hit Rock Bottom,’ Reports MARCA

According to anonymous sources, the Spanish paper MARCA revealed that the phrase "we have hit rock bottom" was reportedly heard in the Real Madrid locker room after their unexpected 1-0 loss to Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday.

According to unnamed sources, the Spanish newspaper MARCA has revealed that after Real Madrid's unexpected 1-0 loss to Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday, someone in the team's locker room was heard saying, "we have hit rock bottom."

Los Blancos are feeling the impact after their impressive 36-game unbeaten run came to an end with a challenging 1-1 draw in the derby against their local rivals, Atletico Madrid, over the weekend.

While head coach Carlo Ancelotti was reluctant to use it as a justification for the team's disappointing performance in France, it's possible that the emotional and physical toll of facing off against Diego Simeone's squad, along with the Atleti supporters who threw objects onto the field and interrupted the game, contributed to the lackluster display at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

After the match, Ancelotti expressed his thoughts on the situation. "Oh, no," he said. "We didn't perform as well as they did. Football doesn’t always follow a fair pattern, and you have to accept that if the other team outplays you, you won't come out on top."

We really struggled to find our rhythm in the game. Our opportunities came late, mainly through crosses. The team didn’t perform well overall. But that’s okay; we have to take this loss as a lesson and work on getting better. Sometimes, a defeat can actually be beneficial.

"It's a long season ahead, and we need to get better. We thought we were making progress, but today we took a step back," the Italian admitted. He referred to the loss as "a wake-up call," emphasizing that being self-critical is beneficial for growth.

MARCA labeled the performance as Madrid's worst in three years and pointed out that Lille's team ran a collective distance of 117.9 kilometers, while the defending champions managed only 107.1 kilometers.

The article also points out that there are worries not only about how many numbers there are, but also about how reliable they are.

Many agree that the team is missing some intensity, a point that Ancelotti acknowledged. However, club icon Predrag Mijatovic criticized the midfield for its lack of creativity, arguing that it relies too heavily on strength and physicality rather than skill with the ball.

As games keep coming in quick succession and an international break is just around the corner, Madrid needs to respond quickly while also preparing for El Clasico against their fierce rivals, FC Barcelona, later this month.