Seven rounds into La Liga, Real Madrid has slipped to fourth place after losing to city rivals Atlético Madrid and now trails Barcelona, the league leaders, by six points. Prior to this, Mundo Deportivo published an article analyzing the current competitive status of Real Madrid and Barcelona from various perspectives, including tactical aspects, squad composition, and transfer strategy.

After seven rounds, Real Madrid trails Barcelona by six points in the standings. The league leaders managed by Flick and Real Madrid under Ancelotti show a stark difference in on-field performance. Barcelona has earned praise worldwide for their impressive competitive form and several dominant victories, while Real Madrid has faced considerable criticism. Despite their latest heavy investment, their performance remains unconvincing, and even their own supporters have been the first to voice their discontent.

Setting aside Real Madrid's claims about refereeing errors, which appear to be deflection tactics, what truly haunts Real Madrid is the Rodri situation. Since Kroos retired in the summer of 2024 and Modric departed for AC Milan in 2025 after a season with limited playing time, Real Madrid has lacked a true playmaker in midfield for two consecutive seasons. Real Madrid fans almost unanimously believe the former Manchester City player should have been signed last summer.

Fans were initially concerned that Florentino's rival in the presidential election, Riquelme, would use Rodri as a campaign tool. However, Florentino, who ultimately retained his position as president, still agreed to pursue Rodri's signing. Ancelotti also attempted to persuade him with his tactical plans, but after Barcelona intervened, Rodri ultimately chose to join Barcelona. As the player recently stated in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, he subsequently called Real Madrid's coach to thank him for the interest and treatment, while informing him of his decision to choose Barcelona.

After failing to secure Rodri, Real Madrid did not seek other alternatives. Instead, they pinned all their hopes on Bernardo Silva, but the Portuguese player is not a true playmaker. The same applies to Güler; both are attacking midfielders rather than playmakers. Real Madrid played four away matches, losing two of them—against Real Betis and Atlético Madrid—while the other two were dramatic extra-time victories against Espanyol and Elche, with Espi scoring in both.

After missing out on joining Real Madrid, Rodri quickly flourished in Barcelona colors. The Madrid-born midfielder, having encountered nearly half of Barcelona's squad through international football, quickly found a sense of belonging in the team, becoming the tempo-setter alongside Pedri. At the end of last season, Flick asked the club to add experienced players to every line, and Rodri's arrival was a blessing.

In just six matches, the Madrid-born player has become the leader controlling the team's rhythm. He can help the center-backs build attacks from the back, find solutions for the midfield under pressure, and even drop back to support defense, preventing certain goals for Barcelona, as was evident last weekend at Pizjuán.

In Madrid, Real Madrid fans are frustrated that the club failed to convince Rodri to join; in Barcelona, he has become an idol to Barcelona fans, and the signing is considered a coup.

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