Real Madrid’s defensive struggles this season can be partly attributed to the departure of former captain Nacho Fernandez last summer.

The experienced player, who was a key figure for Los Blancos last season, left for the Saudi Arabian league as a club legend, ending his tenure on a high note after winning both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga.

Now, the team faces challenges in defense following Eder Militao’s second season-ending injury and David Alaba’s delayed recovery.

Nacho’s Visit to His Teammates

According to MARCA, the Real Madrid icon visited his former teammates last week after their victory over Sevilla in La Liga.

As expected, he was met with overwhelming affection from the dressing room, where he is highly regarded, and emotions ran high behind the scenes.

Numerous phrases and nicknames filled the room as the Real Madrid players expressed their admiration for their former captain.

Luka Modric, in particular, was seen reminiscing about Nacho, directly telling him, “How much I miss you.”

At 34, Nacho is currently playing for Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia, where he has made 13 appearances, achieving an impressive eight clean sheets and averaging over nine defensive actions per game.

It’s clear that Carlo Ancelotti and the team could have greatly benefited from Nacho’s presence this season, especially given their situation, which has forced them to rely on the academy and Aurelien Tchouameni for defensive cover.

However, with Alaba expected to return soon and the team performing well, it seems the worst may be behind them.