Real Madrid’s Biggest Problem Isn’t Creation — It’s Conversion

According to StatMuse, Real Madrid has missed more big chances than any other club in Europe's top five leagues this season, with a staggering 42 big chances missed in LaLiga alone. Notably, Kylian Mbappé (14) and Vinícius Jr. (8) are responsible for the bulk of these missed opportunities.

While this appears to be a finishing crisis on the surface, a deeper analysis reveals a more nuanced and encouraging story. Big chances are not accidental; they result from territorial dominance, chance creation, ball progression, and attacking structure. The fact that Real Madrid has missed 42 big chances indicates they are consistently getting into high-quality scoring positions, making this statistic a backhanded compliment to their attack.

Real Madrid is not struggling to create chances; they are overwhelming opponents and generating high-quality looks at a rate unmatched across Europe's elite leagues. The issue lies in the final action—the finish—which has lagged behind the overall attacking process. Historically, the process of creating chances is a more important indicator of long-term success than finishing efficiency alone.

Mbappé's 14 missed big chances may draw headlines, but context is crucial. Elite forwards who make prolific off-ball runs and generate high shot volumes will naturally have higher miss totals because they take more shots from dangerous areas. Mbappé compensates for this with his overall goal tally. For Vinícius Jr., his eight missed big chances are a byproduct of his relentless movement, dribbling, and ability to destabilize defenses, though his offensive production has lagged this season.

Finishing is notoriously volatile over small to medium sample sizes, and conversion rates tend to normalize over time, especially for attackers with a proven track record. If Real Madrid continues to create chances at their current level, it is far more likely that goals will start flowing rather than the drought persisting.

Therefore, this statistic is less a red flag for Real Madrid and more a warning sign for the rest of LaLiga and Europe. If even a fraction of those 42 missed chances start turning into goals, Real Madrid's underlying dominance will be fully reflected on the scoreboard.