Austria’s Wörthersee Stadium laid bare the frustration gripping Real Madrid fans on Sunday. Anti-Barcelona chants broke out across the ground after Endrick’s opening goal in the friendly against Italy’s Fiorentina, a frank expression of the psychological crisis left by their traditional rival’s dominance over the last two seasons.
In the 12th minute, those present chanted “Puta Barça” loudly and repeatedly (an offensive Spanish chant directed by fans of rival clubs, such as Real Madrid and Espanyol, against Barcelona). It laid bare the negative obsession that has taken hold of a wide section of Los Blancos supporters after successive defeats to the Blaugrana.
The scene comes amid a difficult period at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid have failed to win a single major title since Kylian Mbappé joined two seasons ago, with LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League all absent from their cabinet over the past two years.
Barcelona, by contrast, swept the board. Hansi Flick’s side claimed every title the two teams contested, and that dominance prompted Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez to make the bold call to bring back Portuguese coach José Mourinho for a second spell. It echoes the club’s decision to sign him in 2010 to counter the golden era of Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi.
Pérez spent huge sums in the recent transfer window to build a side capable of breaking the Catalan grip and reclaiming supremacy at home and on the continent. The aim is simple: end the string of failures now haunting the corridors of the Santiago Bernabéu.
Frustration hasn’t been confined to signings and boardroom decisions. It has spilled into the stands, where fans vented their anger in unusual fashion during a mere warm-up match, a measure of the pressure piled on them by Barcelona’s run of success.
Twist the knife further, and there’s this: Barcelona’s players formed the backbone of the Spain side crowned world champions, a repeat of the 2010 scenario that has deepened the sense of crisis at a club used to sitting atop the throne of European football.
Chanting like this in a friendly against an Italian team says plenty about how Real Madrid fans are coping with their historic rival’s success. It’s a rare sight at a club that prides itself on its long history and exceptional achievements.