In Madrid, the derby has left Real Madrid entering the international break with more than a defeat to absorb. Atlético de Madrid’s 2-1 victory in the seventh round of La Liga has widened the distance to Barcelona to six points and intensified scrutiny of José Mourinho’s side.
The news from the club
Former Real Madrid midfielder Claude Makélélé delivered a severe assessment of the team after the match, insisting that complaints about referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias should not distract from deeper problems at the club.
Makélélé said Real lack understanding both within the squad and between the players and Mourinho. In his view, the side currently has no recognisable footballing plan.
“They should not turn the referees into scapegoats,” Makélélé said. “There is no connection among the players, nor between the players and the coach. Mourinho has to speak with them. The team is poor; there is no game plan, there is nothing at all.”
The Frenchman, who played for Real Madrid from 2000 to 2003, said the club must demand a response from the group rather than focus on officiating.
“We have to expect more from them,” he added. “The referee is not the issue. There is an obvious weakness in the team, with no clear ideas or plans on the pitch.”
Makélélé was part of the Real Madrid squad that won the 2001-02 Champions League before leaving Spain for Chelsea. His comments arrive at an uncomfortable point in the season for Mourinho, whose side now faces the international pause six points behind Barcelona after losing the capital derby.
