The Real Madrid dressing room has reportedly “lost faith” in one of Carlo Ancelotti’s key players following the heavy defeat against Barcelona.

Real Madrid’s squad has reportedly “lost faith” in one of their teammates following a poor performance in the 5-2 Supercopa de España final loss to Barcelona on Sunday.

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona dominated the match at King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia to claim the trophy. Kylian Mbappé gave Real Madrid an early lead within five minutes, but by halftime, they were trailing 4-1 after goals from Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Alejandro Balde. Raphinha scored his second goal early in the second half, making it 5-1, and Wojciech Szczęsny was sent off for a foul on Mbappé shortly after. Rodrygo managed a brilliant free kick in the 60th minute, but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback.

Losing to Barcelona is always a blow for Madrid players, but this defeat, coupled with the 4-0 loss at the Santiago Bernabéu in October, has raised serious concerns. One player, Aurélien Tchouaméni, has faced significant criticism for his performance.

Tchouaméni, typically a defensive midfielder, was deployed as a center-back alongside Antonio Rüdiger. He received a 2/10 rating from Managing Madrid and was substituted for Luka Modrić in the 64th minute after receiving a yellow card. Fans have expressed frustration with both his performances and Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to play him out of position.

The criticism isn’t new for Tchouaméni this season, although Ancelotti has previously defended him, describing him as an “important” player due to his defensive abilities and height for set pieces. However, fans on social media were far less forgiving after the El Clásico defeat, with many calling for changes and questioning his role in the squad.

Real Madrid will have an opportunity to bounce back in their upcoming Copa del Rey round of 16 match against Celta Vigo on Thursday, followed by a La Liga clash with Las Palmas o

n Sunday.