Real Madrid came back from their draw midweek to take all three points against Real Betis at Santiago Bernabeu last night.
The men in white were quite clearly the dominant side on the night with Real Betis pushed quite deep into their defensive shell. That does not go on to say, however, that the visitors did not have their chances.
It took a good 67 minutes before Real Madrid opened the scoring and they were forced to toil in the final third and were frustrated by the visitors’ defence.
Kylian Mbappe’s calm finish followed by a conversion from the penalty spot eight minutes later, however, helped Carlo Ancelotti’s side to all three points.
While the team’s result brings much-needed positivity amidst a poor start to the season, it still highlighted some key areas that the manager must look to reinforce. Madrid Universal brings you three such areas that Ancelotti stressed after the game.
Forwards must defend
Blessed with three of the world’s best forwards, Real Madrid are frightening in the final third. The forward line consisting of Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, after all, has only been fortified by the arrival of Mbappe.
With every passing game, the trio appear more comfortable in transitions and combinations. A sense of understanding over their roles appears to be setting in, for the players are now displaying a clear distribution of duties.
Vinicius, tasked with stretching opposition defences and making attacking forays on the left flank, has been in fine form this season. Mbappe, meanwhile, appears focused on maximising his potential in the box.
The trouble, however, lies in their contribution when out of possession.
A great team always has its forwards as the first line of defence, and Real Madrid have always advocated that principle over the years. So far this season, however, that has not been the case.
When dispossessed, the team’s forward trio still do not appear motivated enough to chase after the ball and apply pressure to win it back early. That, in many ways, serves as the root cause for opponents to break on quick transitions.
“Vinicius and Rodrygo are new and in this sense, Rodrygo working we have won the Champions League in 2022, with a great defensive contribution,” Carlo Ancelotti said in his post-match press conference.
“We have to fix things well, but I am convinced that with the low bloc, we are looking for opportunities in transition,” he added optimistically.
Should Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo look to hunt back for the ball when out of possession, Real Madrid’s intent and chance-creation on the field will see a massive improvement.
After all, winning the ball higher up the field only results in more precise counterattacks.
Finding Bellingham’s replacement
Jude Bellingham’s injury early in the season came as a massive blow to Ancelotti’s plans. The Englishman, after all, has been a crucial part of the team’s midfield success since his arrival last summer.
News of his fitness setback sent the alarm bells ringing in Madrid, but the squad depth gave the manager hope that a replacement would be ready. Indeed, two players raised their hands to stand-in – Brahim Diaz and Arda Guler.
Both youngsters have done well in the minutes they have earned in recent days, albeit to different effects. Their profiles, after all, are very different from each other and from the player they are attempting to replace.
While Diaz is a player who offers slight width, good playmaking and most importantly a strong presence in the box, he is more of a forward than a midfielder and seldom drops into deep spaces to maintain the team structure.
Guler, meanwhile, is closer to Bellingham’s profile in terms of his niche on the field but does not provide as much threat to the goal as the Englishman does.
“The 3 [man midfield] means give us more solidity inside, the rivals force more on the outside and there it is easier to control,” Ancelotti spoke on the midfield without Bellingham.
“Brahim has entered as a right inside and has done very well. It’s a system or sometimes the 4-4-2 we can do it,” he added on a replacement.
Mbappe’s finishing consistency
Mbappe’s rut in front of goal finally ended last night when he scored a brace for Los Blancos against Real Betis. What was clear from the game, however, was that he is the team’s single-biggest hope in front of goal.
With no natural number 9 in the squad, the Frenchman must bear the brunt of being Real Madrid’s goalscorer-in-chief and his consistency will be key on that front.
The new signing made the most of his xG of 0.79 against Los Verdiblancos, converting it into two goals. He even had five shots blocked and three shots on target.
Overall in La Liga, however, Mbappe has missed three big chances in just four games and averages just 0.2 key passes per game. While the pressure will certainly be off him after getting off the mark, it will be interesting to see how to takes his role forward.
“We never put pressure on him to score goals. He has been very effective in the area, everyone has worked well, they have left him the penalty,” Ancelotti said on Mbappe’s importance after the game.
“It is important for him to score, but we evaluate the collective work that has been better than the last game,” he added, hoping to reduce the pressure and expectation around the new arrival.