"We're all bad": The data from the worst season of the last decade Real Madrid Have lost 15 times in all competitions

Not even Zinedine Zidane can lift up this Real Madrid side. The coach probably sensed it himself when he agreed to return at this stage of the season, but it was confirmed on Wednesday night with another poor performance by Los Blancos as they lost 2-1 against Valencia at Mestalla.

Madrid have lost 15 matches in all competitions this season and they are dangerously approaching the 16 defeats from 2008/09, the last year before Florentino Perez returned as president. In LaLiga Santander, they have lost nine games, seven more than Barcelona, five more than Atletico Madrid and Valencia... Madrid are heading towards a blank year, having no silverware to play for, with their worst numbers in a long time.

After a night in which Madrid barely threatened Neto in the Valencia goal and were clearly second best to Los Che over the 90 minutes, Casemiro perfectly summed up the feeling of the squad and the supporters.

"We are all bad," he lamented, "the season has been bad."

The Brazilian believes that Madrid should have got more out of the game, whilst also realising their problems on the night.

"We had control [of the ball], but football is about [scoring] goals and we made it 2-1 very late [in the 93rd minute]," Casemiro added.

Madrid lacked at Mestalla what they have been missing all season: good football, intensity and goals. Their goal difference in LaLiga Santander is their worst since the 2006/07 campaign, a year where they interestingly won the title, though that side was built around the defence and this team is not close in that regard. With 53 goals scored and 36 conceded in 30 games, Los Blancos have a positive difference of 17 goals.

When that is compared to the Cristiano Ronaldo era, the difference is alarming. Madrid recorded a positive difference of 43 in 2017/18, 51 in 2016/17, 59 in 2015/16, 62 in la 2014/15, 49 in 2013/14, 48 in 2012/13, 73 in 2011/12, 47 in 2010/11, and 57 in 2009/10. It has been a long time since Los Merengues had such poor figures in front of goal and in defence, a reflection of the season Madrid have had to this point.

Compiling the data from all competitions, Madrid have conceded 61 goals, the same number that Huesca have given up in LaLiga Santander. It is true that Los Blancos have played 17 games more than Huesca, but it is no better when you compare the numbers with Sevilla, having conceded two more goals than the Andalusians and playing just three games more.

"Madrid always comes back," Casemiro stated on Wednesday night as he begins to look ahead to next season. The problem for Madrid is that there are eight games left and two months of the season remaining.

Those two months will not have the Champions League nor the Copa del Rey to fall back on, and this journey through the desert will be toughest on the supporters. The players will need to perform a miracle just to entertain their fans at the Santiago Bernabeu, where attendance figures are the lowest in many years...