The Pack: 16 April 2025

Another Juninho Edition of the Daily Merengue

Reflections of A Lone Wolf:

Freddy: You come to me because I remind you of who you really are…even though now you pretend to lead this pack. You may be a moderator, f— you may even be great, but you’re alone. Is that why you keep resurrecting a ghost?

Juninho: …Someone yesterday said to me “when the snows falls and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies…but the pack survives.”

Freddy: Their strength is in loyalty, not numbers.

Juninho: ….”Was not that deep, but [] chat outspoken so watch his Fall like Jean-Baptiste. Chat mad when he’s with his mandem, but what’s he like when his comrades leave? What he know about combat figures? Read the DT small print I’m a contract killa. Blindside man when he’s looking at his phone be like who the hell’s your first contact, Ninja? Mans mouth running with that rude talk, but then start running from the spark. So when I come ‘round only found a cold coward’s dinner. Me — prefer a 4-course meal, cowardly dawg a poor man’s meal for a cognac sipper. Val beg me to please stop shooting, Mou Gifs but can’t sit back, up 5-nil but need ‘nother winner. Vini this. Then Vini that. Then Vini miss. Now where you at? Tough talk but it’s all an act. Salute to the MM wolves that never showed they back.”

(inspired and influenced by Diaz)

Welcome to The Daily Merengue — a place where you can feel free to discuss all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name!

Shoutout to the Mods who do a fantastic job, Valyrian Steel, KungFuZizou, NeRObutBlanco, Felipejack, and Juninho (the “The Greatest of Mods”).

Belief or Delusion?

Today doesn’t really need a DT. It’ll likely be ignored anyway until Lucas posts the confirmed lineup so I’ll just share a few thoughts as everyone begins their day and the longest wait to see what happens.

I read a quote earlier:

“There’s a thin line between belief and delusion”

And to be honest, I’m not sure exactly sure where we as Real Madrid (aka Remontada fans) stand. There are a multitude of reasons why expecting or even hoping for a comeback in this Champions League tie appears to be completely delusional. One of our difference makers in the midfield (Camavinga) is suspended. We will likely have to field one of the three most untrustworthy fullbacks (Alaba / Fran / LV) in the past decade of RM History. Real Madrid to my knowledge has never beaten Arsenal in a European tie. And more than anything the 24/25 Real Madrid has not shown any convincing traits of a winning team. In almost all of our “big game(s)” of the season, we’ve lost or drawn. We lost to Liverpool (although we fielded a weakened side). We lost to Milan. We drew Atleti in La Liga, and drew in the tie (won on penalties). We lost to Athletic Bilbao. We did beat potentially the worst Manchester City side of the past 10 years but…who hasn’t beaten this City lately? This Real Madrid team especially doesn’t appear to learn from its past mistakes. We were humiliated at home against Barcelona. Then, we were prepped for a resurgence and spirited game in the Supercopa final. We had learned out lesson. We would beat the high press. Instead, we were humiliated again…And for us to win this tie, this 24/25 Real Madrid team needs to basically do everything that we consistently fail to do. We need to start fast with early goals. We need to develop a high press starting with our forwards. We need to defend set-pieces. We need to better defend width against surging opposition wingers. We need to have effective build-up play against a high press. We need to be clinical with our chances. We need near perfection in every structural / tactical / physical facet…

And even with all of that said. Could we pull off an incredibly miraculous win? Probably. And why? Because of some mental gymnastics that has earnestly never made sense but seems to involve black magic.

Now I hope we win (like every Madridsta) but I don’t expect us to. I believe felipejack said yesterday that he has zero expectations and I fall into that bucket. I’m indifferent to what I will see simply because I don’t really expect anything. It’s hard to expect much at this point of THIS season. But anyway, if we do win (or as some would say when we win), I just hope that maybe this time…we don’t celebrate that hard. I mean of course we should be somewhat happy but there’s still an underlying lesson that I think during this era we consistently seem to miss. So yea I hope that this time there are a few less “Told You So’s,” a few less documentaries on us being mentality monsters, and a few less Remontada FCs…because I’d prefer for us to not need this mythical cadence. Idk that may just be me. I just think its equally fun to see my team consistently dominate the opposition. I just want even a 2-year era where we are indisputably the best team in the world

Freddy’s Lessons:

Freddy: “Why did you make your people lambs, when the world is full of wolves.”

Juninho: Listen…First, I mentioned a VMR break up, now every day I wake up, somebody got a problem with Jun’s prose? Whassup y’all MMers all fed up cause I got a little thread up, and my comments records moving out the store? Young pugs spitting at me, new posters getting at me, My OG, Ezek, predicted the ish exactly. ”Mo’ DTs, Mo’ Problems” gotta move carefully. ’Cause “narrative” stans hate when you selling their favorite athletes. Freddy they ice-grilling me — oh, you not feeling me? Fine, it cost you nothing, pay me no mind. Look, I’m on my grind cousin, ain’t got time for fronting. Sensitive pugs, y’all all need hugs. Damn, Ferran, I’m just trying do me. Ready set the DT record’s at 2K so now I’m just trying move 3. I don’t want much, f— just 3 points watch Madrid at a bar. Some nice game play, some clean sheets, no draws. Bird-feed MMers I don’t mean to ruffle y’all. I know you boycotting in the wing but I’m still doing my thing.

So where’s the love?

Freddy: Ain’t no love in the heart of the MM’s city..

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“wolves. only.”