Rafa Alkorta, a former Madrid player and radio analyst, argues that Real Madrid needs a pure center forward (a No. 9) because their current attacking setup relies too heavily on Vinicius and Mbappé dribbling in tight spaces with nobody positioned to finish crosses. Alkorta notes that Jude Bellingham initially filled that box-presence role when he joined two years ago but stopped, leaving Madrid vulnerable when opportunities are created. This reflects a real tactical problem Madrid has faced this season — the club has been eliminated from the Champions League and Copa del Rey, sitting nine points behind LaLiga's leader with seven matches remaining, prompting broader questions about squad construction under new manager Álvaro Arbeloa.