The Real Deal

About The Real Deal

A Real Madrid Podcast, Film room-themed shows breaking down the greatest football club in the history of the world. Going beyond the noise with tactics, strategy, and analytics. For member’s only episodes weekly + ad free content join here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/the-real-deal-podcast4/subscribe

Publisher

The Real Deal Podcast

Category

sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Apr 2025

Latest episode

20 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

145 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Sept 2026

   Why Real Madrid Lost to Atlético Madrid: Postgame Reaction

   Real Madrid lose 2-1 to Atlético Madrid in the derby, and Jarod Hector (@jshector), Loconte (@Loconteee) and Siddharth Ramsundar (@TacticalFouling) break down why it happened and how much the referees played a role.Madrid created almost nothing, struggled to control the ball and were repeatedly exposed when Atlético played through them. We get into Mourinho’s approach, Vinícius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé’s defensive responsibilities, Arda Güler being crowded out on the right, Jude Bellingham’s performance and Dean Huijsen’s costly red card.Then there’s the bigger question coming out of the derby: does Mourinho finally have to change his preferred XI?Yan Diomande made another case for more minutes, Vinícius struggled to influence the game, and Madrid now enter the international break six points behind Barcelona with serious questions about how this team should play going forward.A full postgame breakdown of Atlético Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Atlético beat Madrid again03:56 Did Madrid’s summer signings actually fix anything?05:32 Refereeing, Atlético fouls and the derby mentality09:01 Madrid played with no aggression09:39 Vinícius and Mbappé’s defensive problem13:26 Why Mbappé moved toward Vinícius’ side17:04 Atlético take control in the second half19:33 Huijsen’s red card and Madrid’s defensive collapse23:18 Was this worse than last season’s 5-2?26:17 Mourinho’s transition-first football gets exposed29:18 Mourinho blames the refereeing after the loss33:32 Did Mourinho handle ten men correctly?38:59 Cucurella vs Carreras and Madrid’s fullback problem43:03 Yan Diomande makes his case to start45:24 Is Mourinho finally going to bench Vinícius?49:15 Could Mourinho actually be sacked midseason?54:55 The Vinícius problem may be bigger than Madrid admits57:57 Closing thoughts + what’s coming during the breakHosts: Jarod Hector (@jshector), Loconte (@Loconteee) and Siddharth Ramsundar (@TacticalFouling)

2. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Madrid Derby Preview: What To Expect?

   The Madrid Derby is here, and Real Madrid are walking into the Metropolitano with more questions than anyone expected this early in the season.Jarod Hector, Loconte and Siddharth Ramsundar break down what Atlético Madrid could throw at José Mourinho, why Simeone’s team still becomes a different animal against Madrid, and the selection decisions that could define the match.Does Arda Güler have to start? Can Mourinho keep trusting Vinícius despite his form? Is Diomande being prepared specifically for this matchup? And how much can Madrid afford to surrender possession when Atlético are perfectly comfortable turning the derby into a fight?The guys also compare Madrid and Atlético statistically, look at the gap between chance creation and finishing, discuss Madrid’s defensive structure, and build their preferred starting XIs.One thing feels certain: the first ten minutes at the Metropolitano could tell us a lot.Timestamps:00:00 Madrid Derby preview begins01:38 Why this derby already feels enormous02:21 Why Atlético always change against Real Madrid04:18 Madrid’s collective mentality will be tested05:10 Mbappé, the Ballon d’Or and individual priorities06:19 Can Madrid match Atlético’s intensity?07:23 Does Arda Güler have to start?07:52 Mourinho’s possible game plan10:12 Vinícius, merit and Madrid’s selection problem11:24 What the Inter game tells us about Atlético12:51 Arda’s defensive improvement14:25 Real Madrid vs Atlético by the numbers16:55 Madrid’s finishing problem18:26 Adding Barcelona to the statistical comparison21:43 Corrected 2026/27 Madrid, Barça and Atlético metrics23:50 Madrid’s territorial problem25:31 Why teams still cut through Madrid’s midfield27:06 Can Madrid still salvage this season?29:26 How Mourinho could approach the derby31:48 Mourinho’s history in the Madrid Derby33:19 How Atlético became a real Madrid rival35:10 Barcelona and the Champions League discussion39:50 The derby memories that still sting43:43 Trent and Arda’s place under Mourinho47:47 Our preferred starting XIs51:26 Final predictions and biggest concerns53:16 Mourinho vs Simeone: who actually wants the ball?54:13 What to watch for in the opening 10 minutes

3. 

   17 Sept 2026

   The Truth About Vinicius Junior

   Vinícius Jr. has entered the season looking heavier, slower and far less dangerous one-on-one. After another difficult performance, the question is getting harder for Real Madrid to avoid: what version of Vinícius is actually left, and how much can José Mourinho realistically recover?Sid and Loconte break down Vinícius’ physical decline, his finishing numbers, the drop in his dribbling and explosiveness, and why his World Cup performances looked so different from what Madrid are seeing now. They also discuss whether his added weight is muscle, whether a dedicated international-break training block could help him, and the psychological side of getting him back into form.Then the conversation widens into the politics surrounding his contract and role, Florentino Pérez’s attachment to Vinícius, Madrid’s reluctance to bench major stars, and what happens if Mourinho eventually decides the best XI no longer includes him.The episode closes with a broader discussion about Madrid’s coaching direction, Xabi Alonso, Zidane, Arbeloa, Fàbregas, Nagelsmann, Conte and what kind of manager would actually suit this squad.TIMESTAMPS01:00 Vinícius Jr.’s alarming start to the season02:05 Has Vinícius lost his explosiveness?03:36 How his attacking game has changed05:27 Fouls drawn, finishing and xGOT problems07:38 Mourinho demanding more goals from Vinícius09:01 Confidence, conditioning and Mourinho’s options10:53 Does Vinícius need another sports psychologist?12:45 The international-break “preseason” idea14:18 Should Vinícius start the Madrid Derby?16:50 What Madrid’s best attack looks like on merit18:32 Will Mourinho ever seriously bench Vinícius?20:17 What Vinícius could learn from Mohamed Salah21:14 Could Madrid eventually sell him?24:24 Which clubs would still want Vinícius?26:44 What happens to his market value if Mourinho fails?29:33 Florentino Pérez’s attachment to Vinícius31:33 Why the fanbase has turned33:23 Comparing current Vinícius to previous seasons34:37 Defensive work vs attacking freedom35:56 Has the physical decline become permanent?38:10 The discussion around his fiancée and entourage39:56 Did Vinícius add too much muscle?41:07 Can he still reinvent his game?43:12 Minutes, workload and his physical peak44:17 Will Mourinho start him against Atlético?45:57 Real Madrid’s player politics problem47:20 Zidane, Xabi Alonso and selection on merit49:21 Who could coach Madrid if Mourinho fails?51:04 Returning to a stronger coach-led model52:36 Could Florentino Pérez eventually leave too?54:01 Fàbregas, Nagelsmann and future coaching options56:57 De Zerbi, Conte and other possibilities59:18 Can Madrid play one-touch football without Vinícius?1:00:36 Derby preview and closing thoughts

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

69,411

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

9 ratings

Spotify

4.6 / 5

61 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 73 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

92

Social presence

0

YouTube

85

Engagement

51

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