Mourinho's Real Madrid run the least in LaLiga: 83 km per match

Real Madrid's defeat in the Metropolitano derby cost more than just three points. The loss to Atlético Madrid leaves José Mourinho's team in a difficult position after seven league games, six points adrift of a Barcelona side that has started the season at full speed. The setback raises serious questions about the performance, attitude and squad planning of a group heading into the international break with far more doubts than answers.

• Real Madrid lost the derby and now trail league leaders Barcelona by six points.
• They are the LaLiga team covering the least distance per match: an average of 83.46 km.
• Elche lead the effort table with 105.61 km per game.
• Criticism is directed at the players, Mourinho and the sporting planning led by Florentino Pérez.
• The midfield is once again highlighted as a structural weakness that was not addressed in the summer.

The Metropolitano defeat that sets alarm bells ringing at Real Madrid

Mourinho's project is going through one of its most delicate spells. The performance at Atlético's home ground left a poor impression, far below the minimum standard expected from a squad packed with star names. The crisis in form and results arrives just before an international break that will feel long for a dressing room full of players under scrutiny.

The frustration after the derby is not an isolated incident. Seven league rounds have now passed with constant inconsistency, and the team has failed to find any continuity either in their play or in their results. The feeling spreading inside the club is that nobody escapes criticism: from the biggest names on the pitch to the coaching staff and those responsible for building the squad.

The distance covered stat that exposes Mourinho's Real Madrid

Among all the worrying issues, one number stands out and points directly at collective commitment. Real Madrid are the team covering the least ground per match in the opening seven rounds of LaLiga, averaging 83.46 kilometres. It is a figure that contrasts sharply with the rest of the competition and reveals an intensity deficit that technical quality alone cannot justify.

Elche lead this particular effort table with an average of 105.61 kilometres per game. The gap between the two sides exceeds 22 kilometres per match, a huge difference that explains why the team from Alicante competes every weekend despite having a much more limited squad. Barcelona are close behind in second place with 104.64 kilometres on average.

Real Madrid's average of 83.46 kilometres is a long way from the 105.61 covered by Elche, who top this distance chart.

An unreinforced midfield and a squad with structural weaknesses

Added to the lack of intensity is a deeper problem that repeats itself season after season. The midfield was not strengthened as the team's needs demanded, and the structural flaws in the squad remain unresolved. The sporting planning, led by Florentino Pérez, is once again in the firing line whenever the ball fails to flow smoothly.

Mourinho has not found the formula to make his midfielders dominate matches. The lack of a profile that provides balance and hard work is felt in both the pressing and the transitions. The result is a disjointed team that does not bite up front and suffers when trying to win the ball back after losing possession.

What is at stake for Real Madrid after the international break

The calendar offers no respite to a side forced to react immediately. Barcelona have already built a considerable lead in LaLiga by setting a relentless scoring pace. Any further slip from now on could leave the title race almost over before autumn has fully arrived.

The dressing room needs to regain confidence and, above all, raise its work rate on the pitch. The distance covered numbers can only improve with a change in attitude and a collective response that has so far been missing. The margin for error has run out sooner than expected, and the return to competition will measure this project's real ability to get back into the title fight.

The star players under fire for their poor form

The most talented footballers are not delivering what is expected of them. Internal and external criticism is focused on the lack of intensity from players who should be making the difference in big games like the derby. Their defensive commitment and tactical discipline are being openly questioned.

The distance covered stat affects the whole squad, but it hits hardest for those who earn the most and contribute the least in terms of work rate. The feeling that the team is playing at half speed is one of the main conclusions drawn from the first seven league matches.