Portuguese legend Luis Figo has offered a candid assessment of the heightened expectations at the Santiago Bernabéu as Real Madrid faces the stark possibility of a second consecutive season without a major championship. While the club added the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup to their trophy cabinet last term, they were notably absent from the podium in both the domestic league and the UEFA Champions League—a trend that has persisted into the current campaign.
The 2025/26 season has proven particularly difficult for the Spanish giants. Their pursuit of silverware suffered early setbacks with a shock Round of 16 exit in the Copa del Rey against Segunda Division side Albacete, followed by a narrow 3-2 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final. Continental ambitions were similarly thwarted as Bayern Munich eliminated them from the Champions League quarter-finals with a 6-4 aggregate scoreline. Domestically, the situation remains challenging, with the team trailing Barcelona by nine points in the LaLiga standings with only seven fixtures remaining.
In a discussion reported by Madrid Universal, Figo highlighted the unique scrutiny that accompanies a lack of silverware at the world’s most high-profile club.
“People are always searching for someone to hold accountable, but I’m not privy to the dressing room dynamics. Being among the elite teams globally, if titles are not won over two years, it raises concerns. That’s the nature of Madrid; they are accustomed to success.”
Despite the mounting criticism from fans and the media, the former “Galactico” noted that the competitive landscape of modern football makes consistent dominance increasingly difficult, even for a club of Madrid’s stature.
“However, winning is not guaranteed in football; it would become quite tedious, and there are other prominent teams with significant ambitions. Yet, at Madrid, the scrutiny is always more intense. The players consistently strive for victory; losing is far more undesirable.”
As the season enters its final month, Figo’s comments underscore the heavy burden carried by the current squad. At a club where success is viewed as a prerequisite rather than an achievement, the closing weeks of the campaign will serve as a test of character as they look to navigate this uncharacteristic period of transition.
