Former Real Madrid defender and Italian World Cup champion Fabio Cannavaro has expressed his concerns about the team's performance in this season's Champions League. Despite being the competition historically dominated by the Spanish giants, recent results have raised questions.

In the current campaign, Los Blancos have shown inconsistency. While they pulled off a spectacular comeback against Borussia Dortmund (5-2), with a hat-trick from Vinícius Jr., their other performances have fallen short. Losses to Lille (0-1), AC Milan (1-3), and Liverpool (0-2) have left the team in a worrying 20th position in the standings. Only their recent victory against Atalanta in Bergamo (3-2) has kept them alive. "The Champions League is in their DNA, but with this new format, anything can happen. It might be one of those seasons where they don’t make it past the round of 16," Cannavaro told Tuttosport.

This Is What Real Madrid Needs To Qualify For The Next Round Of The Champions League

The Italian, who played for Real Madrid between 2006 and 2009 without ever making it past the round of 16, knows firsthand the challenges of the competition. His analysis reflects fears that the team's inconsistency, combined with the challenges posed by the new tournament format, could have serious consequences this time.

On the other hand, Cannavaro also spoke about Kylian Mbappé’s difficult adaptation to the team. Despite scoring in Bergamo, the Frenchman left the field early due to muscle discomfort. According to the former player, it’s common for stars like Beckham or Figo to face similar struggles upon joining the club. "Madrid is like that: they bring in extraordinary players, and then it’s up to the coach to figure it out," he said.

The Challenge for Mbappé: Adaptation and Tactical Role
One of the main tactical challenges, according to Cannavaro, lies in Mbappé’s role, as he tends to drop deeper to receive the ball, which impacts the space and influence of Bellingham—a player who could have won the Ballon d’Or a year ago. This strategic dilemma remains an unsolved task for Carlo Ancelotti, who must find the right formula to avoid ending the season empty-handed.

Real Madrid’s performance in the coming weeks will be crucial to dispelling doubts about their historic connection to the Champions League and to proving whether they can still compete at the highest level in Europe and Spain.