Carlo Ancelotti has made an admission over Real Madrid’s poor form over recent weeks.
Los Blancos have struggled of late, winning just one in five games on a run that culminated in a Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
All is not lost in that game, with a second leg still to come, but Real Madrid put in a very disappointing display away from home in Paris.
Since then, though, Ancelotti’s men have made easy work of Alaves, winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Marco Asensio, Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema.
The performance was a much-improved one, but it was also the continuation of a concerning theme.
Ancelotti’s men again struggled in the first half before improving in the second, and it’s something the Italian wants to fix sooner rather than later.
“We have spoken about this week,” he said after the game. “It cost us to go into the games with the necessary intensity, it’s a soft spot that we have had and we are going to fix it.
“From Bilbao we have had more difficulties in the first half than the second.
“The rivals squeeze a lot in the first, then lose rhythm and we get better.”
Real Madrid’s win over Alaves and Sevilla’s draw on Sunday means the lead at the top of the table has been restored to six points.
