There's a saying: changing the coach is like changing the knife.
Or to put it another way, a new official must take three steps when assuming office.
After Lopetegui took over Real Madrid, the Galácticos immediately went on a three-match winning streak.
First, they beat Valladolid 2-0 at home, then won 4-2 away against Celta Vigo. In between, they thrashed Plzen 5-0 away in the Champions League group stage.
Following three consecutive victories, Lopetegui received unanimous praise from the Spanish media. Even many Real Madrid fans were singing his praises.
This highly skilled coach brought a sense of stability to Real Madrid over the past three games.
In particular, the return to a 4-3-3 formation and the reintegration of the core players from the Gao Shen era back into the starting lineup stood out.
New signing Van Dijk also started replacing Varane, who had struggled since the World Cup, becoming Ramos' regular partner.
Everything seemed to be turning around.
But no one expected that on November 24, in the 13th round of La Liga, Real Madrid would suffer a crushing 0-3 defeat away to Eibar, who were only ranked 13th in the league at the time.
This match exposed many of Real Madrid's problems, but with the three consecutive wins earlier, fans still had faith in Lopetegui.
Especially since they went on to beat Roma 2-0 away in the Champions League group stage, and then defeated Valencia 2-0 in La Liga.
Everything looked like it was back on track, and the heavy defeat to Eibar seemed like an anomaly.
But in the next three matches, Real Madrid recorded two draws and one loss. First, they drew 1-1 with Huesca, then lost 0-3 at home to CSKA Moscow, followed by another 1-1 draw at home with Rayo Vallecano.
If the humiliating loss to CSKA Moscow could be explained by the fact that Real Madrid had already secured top spot in the group and lacked motivation, the two league draws afterward confirmed that the team's form was still poor.
After 16 rounds of La Liga, Real Madrid sat sixth in the table with 24 points, tied with Getafe but ahead on goal difference. Above them were Real Betis and Alavés, each with 25 points.
From ninth place when Lopetegui took over to sixth now, Real Madrid's position had improved on paper, but the results were still disappointing.
Especially when arch-rivals Barcelona were already 10 points ahead, many Real Madrid fans began to feel disillusioned.
Both Real Madrid and Lopetegui acknowledged the current issues and agreed there was still hope, particularly with the upcoming winter break offering time to reset.
Lopetegui stated that, having taken over midseason, he hadn't had sufficient time to familiarize himself with the squad or implement his ideas. He believed that once the league paused during the winter break, he and the team would have time to adapt and improve.
In the Club World Cup that followed, Real Madrid first defeated Kashima Antlers 3-1, then beat Al Ain 4-1 to claim the Club World Cup title, capping off 2018 on a high note.
But behind the scenes, instability remained.
Centre-back Varane was having issues with his contract renewal. Though still young, the World Cup-winning defender had already won numerous honors at Real Madrid. Now, with coach Nicolas Pepe, a former Real Madrid player himself, pushing for changes and the club having spent €150 million to bring in Virgil van Dijk, Varane's status was being threatened.
The French defender felt undervalued by the club.
While Real Madrid's management tried to reassure and retain Varane, promising to renew his contract and increase his salary, the French media continued to report that Manchester United, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain were all interested and willing to offer him generous terms.
Since Varane's current contract ran until 2022, Real Madrid wasn't in a rush.
...
Entering 2019, after a two-week winter break, Real Madrid's fortunes still didn't turn around.
They first drew 2-2 away with Villarreal in Round 17, then suffered a demoralizing 0-2 loss at home to Real Sociedad.
This was a heavy blow to the team's morale.
For a period after that, Real Madrid's performances continued to fluctuate. They drew with Atlético Madrid away, lost at home to Girona, and narrowly defeated Espanyol on the road.
With results up and down, the team hovered between fifth and sixth place in the standings, and the doubts surrounding Lopetegui grew louder. The dressing room atmosphere was also reported to be uneasy.
In the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, Real Madrid lost 1-2 away to Ajax, triggering widespread concern among the Galácticos.
But Benzema's away goal gave them a glimmer of hope.
Returning to La Liga, Real Madrid first beat Levante away, but then lost 0-2 to Barcelona at home in Round 26, suffering another El Clásico defeat. That intensified the fans' dissatisfaction with Lopetegui.
What truly "killed" Lopetegui was what followed three days later. Real Madrid not only failed to overturn the tie against Ajax at home but lost 0-3. With a 1-5 aggregate score, they were eliminated.
This result shocked all of Spain and the entire European football community.
Knocked out in the round of 16?
The nightmare returned to the Bernabéu.
On the night of the crushing defeat to Ajax, the Bernabéu was filled with boos.
Over 80,000 Real Madrid fans vented their fury in the stands, and many die-hard supporters were in tears. No one could have imagined that Real Madrid, who had won the double last season, would collapse so dramatically.
Once again eliminated in the round of 16.
When was the last time they failed to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League?
It was the 2011-12 season, under Mourinho.
That season, too, was full of chaos and uncertainty.
Afterwards, under Gao Shen's leadership, Real Madrid made a historic breakthrough, winning six consecutive Champions League titles, something never seen before.
But now, following Gao Shen's departure, Real Madrid had again suffered a humiliating exit in the Round of 16.
The match against Ajax brutally reopened Real Madrid's wounds, telling fans that the glory of the past few years was truly gone. Real Madrid had fallen to the level where even Ajax could bully them with ease.
Who could accept that?
Just last season, this same team had won both La Liga and the Champions League.
At the Bernabéu, the fans called for accountability, for Lopetegui to be sacked, for Florentino to step down, and for Gao Shen to return.
After the match, thousands of Real Madrid fans gathered outside the Bernabéu, protesting and demanding an explanation.
Spain's national broadcaster aired the scene live, interviewing one passionate fan who broke down in tears and told the camera, "We never want to go back to those days of being eliminated in the Round of 16. We clearly have better options!"
"We need González! Only he can save Real Madrid!"
Countless Real Madrid supporters rallied at the Bernabéu, demanding Lopetegui's dismissal, Florentino's resignation, and Gao Shen's return.
At the same time, several opposition board members publicly criticized Florentino's poor decisions. They argued that he had been blinded by the success of previous years and foolishly let Gao Shen leave.
"And now we're seeing the consequences."
"Without Gao Shen, Real Madrid has lost its soul."
The opposition insisted that someone had to be held accountable for this season's collapse.
That night, Florentino held a press conference at the Bernabéu. Looking defeated, he admitted responsibility for the team's failures and announced a major decision.
Head coach Lopetegui had automatically terminated his contract due to failing to meet performance clauses tied to Champions League results. The team would be temporarily led by reserve team coach Solari.
This would be Real Madrid's third head coach of the season.
When the news broke, the entire football world was stunned.
Back when Moyes replaced Ferguson at Manchester United, the upheaval was considered chaotic enough. But no one expected Real Madrid to spiral even worse after Gao Shen's departure, changing coaches three times in one season.
AS even called it the most chaotic season in Real Madrid's history.
To make matters worse, players like Di María, Pogba, Verratti, Varane, and Modrić were all rumored to be leaving after the season, sparking widespread panic. No one could see a clear future for Real Madrid.
...
Meanwhile, in the Premier League.
After Leeds United drew 1-1 away to Arsenal in Round 11, they went on a nine-match winning streak in December. This included a 3-1 home win over Manchester United, a 2-1 away victory against Liverpool, and a 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle in the first match after Christmas.
On December 29, in their second Christmas fixture, Round 20 of the Premier League, Leeds United crushed Arsenal 6-0 at home, completely tearing apart the Gunners' fragile defense.
In their first match of 2019, Leeds drew 2-2 away with Manchester City.
After 21 rounds, Leeds United led the Premier League by 8 points.
Following the draw with Manchester City, Guardiola admitted for the first time at a press conference that Leeds had gained the upper hand in the title race.
One key reason was Leeds United's remarkable progress in the Premier League this season.
"Their players are very young and improving with every match. That's the most terrifying part about Leeds United."
Guardiola also mentioned Leeds United's excellent bench depth.
Especially the young talents born after 2000 who had emerged this season, leaving a deep impression on everyone.
Although Manchester City failed to beat Leeds United at home, they went on to defeat Burton 9-0 in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.
Leeds United also made it to the semi-finals, but unlike City, they faced a tougher opponent in Chelsea.
Pochettino still stuck with a lineup of backups and young players. With Vinícius assisting Haaland for the only goal, they edged Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg. But in the return leg, they lost 1-2 away. Ultimately, they were knocked out in the penalty shootout, missing the final.
With this young squad, Leeds United defeated Queens Park Rangers 2-1 away in the FA Cup third round, then beat Portsmouth 2-0 in the fourth round to reach the fifth round.
As the youngsters continued to ease the fixture load, Leeds United beat Brighton, Crystal Palace, and Leicester in the league. It wasn't until Round 25 that they drew 1-1 away to West Ham, ending their winning streak.
But by that point, Leeds United were already 9 points ahead of second-placed Manchester City.
Mbappé and Vardy also led the Premier League scoring charts.
In the Champions League Round of 16, Leeds United defeated Lyon 1-0 away, then crushed them 5-0 at home, winning 6-0 on aggregate to reach the quarterfinals.
The day after Leeds United eliminated Lyon, a series of unexpected events occurred in European football.
(To be continued.)