At the start of November, everything felt under control for Real Madrid. A commanding 4–0 win over Valencia at the Santiago Bernabéu, a five-point cushion over FC Barcelona, and a sense of authority that made the league title look firmly within reach.
But that match was the last time Madrid played at home. What followed —a forced, prolonged stretch away from Chamartín— slowly eroded the momentum Xabi Alonso’s team had built.

How Did the NFL End Up Affecting Real Madrid’s Calendar?

The arrival of the NFL spectacle in Madrid required the club to hand over the Bernabéu for its preparation and operations. On paper, a month away from home shouldn’t have been disastrous.
In practice, it became a sporting exile.

The schedule was reshaped to an extreme. Madrid was forced to play six straight matches away from home:
– Four in LaLiga
– Two in the Champions League

It’s an unusual scenario in any season, and it completely disrupted the rhythms of a squad that relies heavily on its stadium as both an emotional and tactical engine.

What Were the Consequences of This Long Exile?

The drop-off was immediate.
That five-point advantage over Barcelona vanished. Now, Hansi Flick’s Barça sits one point ahead.
The once-comfortable gap to Atlético de Madrid and Villarreal —eight and seven points— shrank to just two and one.

The numbers paint the picture:

– In LaLiga, Madrid recorded three draws in three away matches —Rayo Vallecano, Elche and Girona— and never led in any of them.
– They are now four straight league games without an away win.
– Their only recent road victory was a tense 0–1 at Getafe.
– All after beginning the season with solid wins in Oviedo, San Sebastián and Levante.

In the Champions League, the victory over Olympiacos was necessary but far from reassuring, exposing cracks in the team’s stability. And the trip to Anfield marked the first real sign of an emotionally drained squad.

Why Has the Team’s Level Dropped So Sharply?

Even at the elite level, football is a game of habits. Real Madrid lost theirs.

The routine of playing at home, the comfort of no travel, the Bernabéu’s energy, the emotional steadiness —everything vanished during one of the toughest stretches of the season. The team was stuck in a cycle of fatigue, forced to chase results without the usual safety net of their own stadium.

After the draw in Girona, Xabi Alonso hinted at the strain:
“It’s a good opportunity to win again away from home,” he said, with San Mamés in mind… though his desire to return to the Bernabéu was unmistakable.

What Comes Next for Real Madrid?

The final stop of this long road trip is San Mamés, a stadium that rarely makes life easy for anyone.
After that, at last, comes the return home.

Madrid needs that homecoming the way someone needs air after swimming too long against the current. The NFL brought spectacle and a historic moment to the city… but for Real Madrid, it meant a stretch of competitive fragility that cost them leadership, points and stability.

The team will walk back into the Bernabéu soon.
The real question is whether they’ll return in time to regain what slipped away on the road.