Perhaps 2000 or 2020 players struggle to control Real's midfield (4,5)

'perhaps 2000 or 2020' is the definition.
(2000 and 2020 were leap years)

'players struggle to control real's midfield' is the wordplay.
'struggle' indicates an anagram (letters move around or struggle).
'to control' indicates putting letters inside.
'midfield' indicates the central letters.
The middle letters of 'real' are 'ea'.
'players' is an anagram of 'lpyears'.
'lpyears' going around 'ea' is 'LEAP-YEARS'.