Real Madrid’s hopes of winning the La Liga title took a major hit after their 2-1 loss to Real Betis on Saturday, March 1. Despite taking an early lead through Brahim Diaz, they failed to maintain control, allowing the hosts to mount a comeback and secure all three points.
David Alaba’s performance was a major point of discussion, as the defender struggled to keep up with the opposition. He failed to register a single tackle or win a duel throughout the match, drawing heavy criticism from both fans and pundits.
Supporters voiced their frustration on social media, with Franklin Akins tweeting, “Alaba needs to go. Ancelotti keeps making things difficult for himself. Asencio has been solid in defense, yet he didn’t start. Such a poor display.”
Other fans echoed this sentiment, with Dark_sheriff44 posting, “Terrible match… Modric shouldn’t start again, Alaba should never play again, Vazquez please don’t play again, Valverde come back, Bellingham I need you.” This widespread criticism reflects growing dissatisfaction with the team’s performance and certain players.
Some fans took a more measured approach, like Twitter user Belligold, who commented, “Vini, this is getting embarrassing. Alaba’s return feels like a poisoned gift; he’s coming back at such a crucial time in the season and blocking Asensio on top of that.” This suggests that Alaba’s comeback might do more harm than good, especially if it sidelines in-form players.
Others questioned Ancelotti’s decisions, such as CarlosA, who tweeted, “You don’t need a Harvard degree to see that playing Real Madrid with Lucas Vázquez and Alaba, who is past his best, is a recipe for losing or at least dropping points. Unfortunately, the Italian doesn’t get it.”
Omwengho1 shared a similar opinion, stating, “Alaba’s Real Madrid career should have ended long ago. He no longer has that fight in him.”
Another fan, KingOfMadrid, was particularly critical of Ancelotti’s choice to bench Asensio, tweeting, “Ancelotti is ungrateful for dropping Asensio in favor of Alaba. Asensio has been our best defender whenever he plays, yet he’s benched for a washed-up Alaba who hasn’t played in two years? How does Carlo justify this?”
The defeat has sparked intense debate among fans, with many questioning the team’s strategy and player selection. As the season continues, it remains to be seen how Ancelotti will respond to these concerns and attempt to get Real Madrid back on track.
