According to reports, last season, Joselu played a key role in Real Madrid’s Champions League semifinal victory over Bayern Munich with two crucial goals. Coming off the bench, he scored five of his 18 goals as a substitute, including a decisive strike in the group stage against Napoli. However, this was an exceptional performance—Real’s bench contributed only 13 of the team’s 129 goals last season.

This season, the trend continues. Real Madrid’s substitutes have scored only 12 goals across all competitions, with just four of those coming in La Liga (6% of the team’s 66 goals)—the lowest share among La Liga teams. The last goal from a substitute in La Liga dates back to the match against Valencia on January 3rd, and none have been scored in the second half of the season. In comparison, Atlético Madrid leads Europe with 19 goals from substitutes in La Liga (34% of their 56 goals).

In Europe, Real Madrid’s bench is among the weakest in the top five leagues. Only six teams, including Lorient and Everton, have a lower percentage of goals from substitutes. However, in the Copa del Rey, substitutes have played a more decisive role, scoring five crucial goals: Andrić with two extra-time goals against Celta in the round of 16, Gonzalo with a late winner against Leganés in the quarterfinals, and Rüdiger with the semifinal winner. Mbappé also kept Real alive in the final with a stunning free-kick after coming off the bench.

In La Liga and the Champions League, only two of the four league goals and two UCL goals were impactful: Brahim Díaz’s equalizer against Manchester City in the first leg and Modrić’s goal against Valencia that sparked a comeback. The rest, like Andrić and Vinícius’s goals, merely padded the scoreline. These stats highlight Real Madrid’s need to strengthen their bench for multi-front competitions.