Real Madrid has once again found itself running significantly less than its opponents on the pitch. In their latest Champions League match against AC Milan, the Madrid players covered 5 kilometers less than the Italian side. This trend has been consistent throughout the season, with Real Madrid running less than their rivals in every Champions League game so far. Against Dortmund, the deficit was 5 kilometers; against Stuttgart, 8; and against Lille, the French team ran an astonishing 12 kilometers more than Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti addressed this concern in a press conference, attempting to quell rising doubts: “Last year, we didn’t run the most, and we won the Champions League.” The coach defended his players, stating, “I cannot say that my players are lazy, but it is true that we are currently struggling to perform an effective collective effort.” While Real Madrid indeed ran less last season (114.6 km per game on average, ranking 28th), they still managed to secure the Champions League title. However, this season, the team is averaging only 108.36 kilometers per match, a sharp drop from last year's numbers.

This decline places Real Madrid near the bottom of the running stats for Champions League teams this season, ranking just above Red Star, who average 107.15 km per game. Comparatively, Sturm Graz, the top team in terms of kilometers run, averages 123.3 km per match—15 kilometers more than Madrid. Even within La Liga, Atlético Madrid (115.65 km) and Barcelona (113.88 km) outpace Ancelotti’s side.

Beyond the running data, Opta’s advanced statistics paint a grim picture for Real Madrid. They are among the teams with the fewest pressing actions in the Champions League, managing only 1561 pressures, 1183 of which were at high intensity. Only Manchester City, who dominate possession with 71%, press less than Madrid.

Historically, running seems to have correlated with Madrid’s success under Ancelotti. In the 2021-22 season, the team averaged 115.4 kilometers per game, and last year 114.6 km, both campaigns ending with Champions League triumphs. Interestingly, in the 2022-23 season, when they fell short, their running average dropped to 109.8 km.

Despite the worrying trend, Ancelotti draws some solace from the performance of Liverpool, another elite team that isn’t running the most. Currently, Liverpool ranks 22nd in terms of kilometers covered in the Champions League, averaging 115.61 km per match. This reinforces Ancelotti's belief that running more doesn’t guarantee victories. However, if Real Madrid wants to add another Champions League trophy to its collection, the team will need to improve their work rate and break past the 110 km mark, based on the patterns from previous successful campaigns.

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