Real Madrid's 2024-25 campaign is in real danger of unravelling. They fell four points behind arch-rivals Barcelona in the La Liga title race after a 2-1 defeat at home to Valencia last weekend, before being decimated 3-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie, and Carlo Ancelotti is, understandably, growing more and more frustrated.

Los Blancos are said to have already lined up Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso to replace Ancelotti, who no longer has any margin for error. But sacking the legendary Italian coach won't fix Madrid's biggest issue.

Ancelotti has been hamstrung this term by the club's baffling lack of transfer activity, and the deficiencies in key areas of the squad are now impossible to ignore. It doesn't matter who is sitting in the dugout; until a semblance of balance is restored Madrid will remain a team that is far too reliant on individual brilliance and doesn't have any plan B.