The Real Deal: A Real Madrid Podcast

The Real Deal Podcast
  • 4.6 (10)
  • Soccer
  • Updated Biweekly

Real Madrid, explained. The tactics, analytics, decisions and science behind every result. Independent analysis and live postgame shows. For member’s only episodes weekly + ad free content join here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/the-real-deal-podcast4/subscribe

  1. 2h ago

    Real Madrid Are Wasting Trent Alexander-Arnold

    Real Madrid signed Trent Alexander-Arnold knowing exactly what kind of player he was. So why have they built a team that barely takes advantage of what makes him special? Sid and Loconte break down why Trent has been so underused, the role he played in turning Liverpool into one of Europe’s best attacking teams, and why Real Madrid’s current approach makes life unnecessarily difficult for him. They discuss Mourinho preferring Denzel Dumfries, Trent’s own adaptation issues, the potential of a Trent-Arda Güler-Diomande right side, his connection with Jude Bellingham, the potential with Carlos Espi, and what his recent England performances show about how differently he can be used. The conversation eventually reaches the bigger problem: Real Madrid keep favoring physicality and transition football when players like Trent and Arda can give the team more control, reduce the amount of running required, and make progressing the ball considerably easier. Hosted by Sid (@agarthasid) and Loconte (@Loconteee). Timestamps 00:00 Why Real Madrid are wasting Trent 02:25 How Trent transformed Liverpool 04:34 Madrid paid for him. Why aren’t they using him? 06:43 Is Trent too passive? 08:19 Building Madrid’s right side around Trent 11:48 Dumfries vs Trent 15:17 Why Trent and Bellingham should work 17:30 Mourinho’s tactical problem 19:56 England showed how to use Trent 22:52 Arbeloa vs Mourinho 24:56 Madrid need more technical control 27:25 Does Trent need a new coach?

  2. 2d ago

    Barcelona, Negreira & UEFA: What Happens Next?

    Sid is joined by Jitesh the founder of Peña Madridista Bombay for a deep discussion on the Negreira case, Barcelona and what Real Madrid should actually be pushing for as the investigation continues. They get into the payments at the center of the case, the explanations surrounding Negreira’s companies, why UEFA matters, and whether Real Madrid’s changing relationship with European football has opened a new path for the club to pursue answers. The conversation then gets much bigger: Pep Guardiola and Barcelona’s football identity, the divide between Madrid and Barça supporters, Florentino Pérez’s institutional power, the fight over Real Madrid’s socio model, and whether international Madridistas should eventually have a pathway into the club itself. 00:00 Intro 01:00 Jitesh, Mumbai & the 2024 Champions League Final 04:31 The Negreira Case Returns 09:15 Breaking Down the Negreira Payments 10:47 Negreira’s Companies & the Money Trail 13:49 UEFA, the Super League & Real Madrid’s Power 17:55 Has Barça’s Style of Play Become Part of the Myth? 19:36 Why Barcelona Fans Identify With the Football 21:23 Madrid’s Recent Failures Aren’t About Referees 22:28 Why Real Madrid Is Taking the Fight Outside Spain 26:11 Florentino, Riquelme & the Anti-Incumbent Vote 28:59 Do Real Madrid’s Socios Have Too Much Power? 33:51 Should International Fans Have a Path to Becoming Socios? 37:41 What Happens Next With Negreira? 39:40 Members Episode Preview & Closing

  3. 3d ago

    Cristiano Ronaldo Leaves Portugal: Is This the End?

    Cristiano Ronaldo has left the Portugal national team camp after a bizarre few days involving Jorge Jesus, his role in the team and questions about whether this is finally the end of his international career. Sid and Loconte break down what may have happened between Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus, why the situation changed so quickly after their success together at Al-Nassr, and whether Ronaldo still has a place in this Portugal team. Then we look back at the different versions of Cristiano Ronaldo: his incredible Euro 2012 run, the comparison with Gareth Bale at Euro 2016, the famous 2018 performance against Spain, and where Ronaldo belongs alongside Alfredo Di Stéfano in Real Madrid history. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp 02:34 Ronaldo, Jorge Jesus and Portugal’s power struggle 05:35 Why did Ronaldo actually leave? 08:55 Mourinho, Portugal and the national-team question 10:06 Is this the end for Ronaldo with Portugal? 13:29 Madrid legends and international football 16:31 Ronaldo’s greatest Portugal moments 17:05 Why Euro 2012 Ronaldo was different 19:17 Ronaldo against Spain and that 2012 Portugal team 22:12 Ronaldo 2012 vs Gareth Bale 2016 24:37 What prime Ronaldo would do with this Portugal team 27:40 Cristiano Ronaldo vs Alfredo Di Stéfano

  4. 4d ago

    Will Flick Break Mourinho's Records?

    Barcelona’s start to the season has put one of Real Madrid’s great teams back in the conversation. Sid is joined by Dom from Dom’s Tactics Lab to compare Hansi Flick’s current Barcelona with Mourinho’s 2011/12 Madrid side and ask whether the 100-point season and La Liga goals record are genuinely under threat. They break down Raphinha’s absurd start, the lack of a traditional No. 9, Fermín López’s role attacking the box, Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s new signings and the weaknesses that could eventually slow them down. Then they get into Rodri’s impact on Barcelona’s possession structure, what he has changed for Pedri, why Barça’s passing numbers have jumped, and the contrast with a Real Madrid side increasingly willing to concede the ball under Mourinho. Plus: where Barcelona still need reinforcements, the importance of their left center-back position, and what this early-season form could actually look like by April and May. Monthly Real Deal x Dom’s Tactics Lab crossover. Timestamps: 00:00 Sid welcomes Dom back to The Real Deal 01:42 Can Flick’s Barcelona break Mourinho’s 2012 Madrid records? 04:00 Barça’s scoring pace vs Mourinho’s 2011/12 Real Madrid 04:50 Raphinha’s ridiculous start to the season 07:07 Raphinha vs Mbappé and what makes Barça’s attack work 10:07 Fermín López, Jude Bellingham and life without a No. 9 13:29 Comparing Barcelona’s attack to Ronaldo, Benzema and Higuaín 15:49 Why the 100-point record is much harder to break 16:42 Barcelona’s biggest weaknesses and injury risks 19:52 Rodri’s impact and Real Madrid’s possession problem 22:18 How Rodri has changed Pedri and Barcelona’s passing structure 24:38 Can Barça actually sustain this into April and May?

  5. 5d ago

    Real Madrid Are Building Around the Wrong Players

    Jude Bellingham continues to produce dominant performances for England. Arda Güler continues to look like one of the most talented young playmakers in the world. So why isn’t Real Madrid building around them? Jarod Hector (@JarodHector) and Loconte (@Loconteee) discuss why Bellingham and Güler should become the central pieces of Real Madrid’s next team, how their strengths complement each other, and what that would mean for Vinícius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, Yan Diomande and the rest of the attack. They also get into Bellingham’s leadership, Madrid’s obsession with hierarchy, why Arda keeps getting sacrificed tactically, and the bigger problem facing the club: a team this talented still struggles to control matches with the ball. Real Madrid have the pieces. The question is whether they’re building around the right ones. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:00 Bellingham dominates for England 02:27 Why isn’t Madrid built around Jude? 04:55 What is Bellingham’s best position? 06:01 Madrid are asking Jude to do everything 07:07 Are Madrid building around the wrong stars? 08:17 Build around Bellingham and Güler 10:10 Why Jude and Arda complement each other 12:30 Who is Real Madrid’s real leader? 14:39 The bizarre Bellingham debate in England 17:17 Why Arda keeps getting sacrificed 18:05 Building the ideal Madrid attack 19:00 Madrid’s coaching and structural problem 20:42 “Treasure the ball” 23:11 Final thoughts

  6. 6d ago

    Can Vinicius Jr Evolve?

    Vinicius Jr.’s struggles are becoming increasingly difficult for Real Madrid to ignore. Jarod Hector (@JarodHector) and Loconte (@Loconteee) break down Vini’s declining dribbling output, whether he can still function as an elite left winger, and the case for moving him inside while Kylian Mbappé takes over the left. They also discuss Diomande forcing his way into the conversation, the structural problems that remain even if Vinicius changes positions, and one massive hypothetical: if Erling Haaland ever became available, should Real Madrid make the move? Would Mbappé and Haaland actually work together? And if Haaland arrived, what would that mean for Vinicius? Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:08 Vinicius struggles with Brazil 02:40 Can Real Madrid keep starting Vini? 03:36 Should Vinicius move to No. 9? 05:58 Vini’s declining winger numbers 08:08 Mbappé left, Vinicius through the middle? 09:33 Real Madrid’s superstar hierarchy problem 11:02 Why Mbappé may belong on the left 12:13 Diomande is forcing the issue 15:21 Could Haaland become available? 17:39 Would Mbappé + Haaland actually work? 20:32 Would Haaland mean Vinicius has to leave? 22:13 How Haaland could transform Madrid’s attack

  7. Sep 24

    How Mourinho Transformed the Mbappé-Bellingham Partnership

    Is Real Madrid being built around Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham? Sid (@agarthasid) and Loconte (@Loconteee) break down how José Mourinho has changed the Mbappé-Bellingham partnership, what the numbers reveal about their roles, and why the two stars are beginning to look far more complementary than they did under previous managers. We dig into Mbappé and Bellingham’s advanced stats, their year-over-year changes, Jude’s defensive workload and playmaking growth, Mbappé’s shot volume and attacking role, and the distance-covered statistics that have been circulating around Real Madrid. We also discuss what Madrid could look like with Mbappé, Bellingham and Diomande together, the problems created by carrying multiple defensive liabilities, and what Mourinho’s choices could mean for Vinícius Jr. and Arda Güler after the international break. Hosts: Sid (@agarthasid) Loconte (@Loconteee) TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 01:01 Is Real Madrid built around Mbappé & Bellingham? 02:29 How Mourinho fixed the Mbappé-Bellingham problem 04:36 What Mourinho changed tactically 06:14 Mbappé vs Bellingham: the FotMob numbers 08:35 Bellingham’s defensive impact 10:34 Why Jude looks physically different 13:03 Mbappé & Jude: year-over-year changes 15:17 How Bellingham’s playmaking has changed 17:55 The best attacking setup for Madrid 19:46 Are people too critical of Mbappé’s finishing? 21:36 Who is actually Madrid’s most valuable player? 22:15 The truth about Real Madrid’s distance-covered stats 23:45 Can Madrid carry two defensive liabilities? 25:42 Mbappé + Jude + Diomande: Madrid’s best front line? 26:29 Real Madrid’s elite dribblers 28:29 Final thoughts

  8. Sep 20

    Why Real Madrid Lost to Atlético Madrid: Postgame Reaction

    Real Madrid lose 2-1 to Atlético Madrid in the derby, and Jarod Hector (@jshector), Loconte (@Loconteee) and Siddharth Ramsundar (@TacticalFouling) break down why it happened and how much the referees played a role. Madrid created almost nothing, struggled to control the ball and were repeatedly exposed when Atlético played through them. We get into Mourinho’s approach, Vinícius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé’s defensive responsibilities, Arda Güler being crowded out on the right, Jude Bellingham’s performance and Dean Huijsen’s costly red card. Then there’s the bigger question coming out of the derby: does Mourinho finally have to change his preferred XI? Yan Diomande made another case for more minutes, Vinícius struggled to influence the game, and Madrid now enter the international break six points behind Barcelona with serious questions about how this team should play going forward. A full postgame breakdown of Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Atlético beat Madrid again03:56 Did Madrid’s summer signings actually fix anything?05:32 Refereeing, Atlético fouls and the derby mentality09:01 Madrid played with no aggression09:39 Vinícius and Mbappé’s defensive problem13:26 Why Mbappé moved toward Vinícius’ side17:04 Atlético take control in the second half19:33 Huijsen’s red card and Madrid’s defensive collapse23:18 Was this worse than last season’s 5-2?26:17 Mourinho’s transition-first football gets exposed29:18 Mourinho blames the refereeing after the loss33:32 Did Mourinho handle ten men correctly?38:59 Cucurella vs Carreras and Madrid’s fullback problem43:03 Yan Diomande makes his case to start45:24 Is Mourinho finally going to bench Vinícius?49:15 Could Mourinho actually be sacked midseason?54:55 The Vinícius problem may be bigger than Madrid admits57:57 Closing thoughts + what’s coming during the break Hosts: Jarod Hector (@jshector), Loconte (@Loconteee) and Siddharth Ramsundar (@TacticalFouling)

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Real Madrid, explained. The tactics, analytics, decisions and science behind every result. Independent analysis and live postgame shows. For member’s only episodes weekly + ad free content join here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/the-real-deal-podcast4/subscribe

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