Real Madrid will seek revenge for the first and overwhelming Clásico of the season, in which they lost 0-4. The objective, the Spanish Super Cup 2025. These are the main keys from the Madrid perspective for this great match:
1. Bellingham back, Rodrygo up
Conditioned by the arrival of Mbappé first and the losses in defense later, Ancelotti has had to change last season’s system for other tactical formulas that covered up all the important players in the squad. After trying unsuccessfully with Bellingham for Rodrygo up top and also an unsatisfactory 4-4-2 with Vinícius and Mbappé centered, he seems to have found a frame in which the team performs better.
The formula with the attacking trio formed by Vinícius, Mbappé and Rodrygo (from left to right) and with Bellingham plus Valverde behind has improved the team. And the fact is that Madrid is still a weak block in terms of pressure, but it has created a context where the most talented footballers feel better. So, barring any surprise, this will also be the eleven tonight. The only doubts are whether Camavinga will start in the middle or at left back, or if Asencio will take Tchouaméni’s place.
2. Mbappé’s lesson
The League match played this season left the Frenchman in a bad position, going offside against the Barça defense up to eight times (12 in the team’s total). And one of the big keys to the game will once again be whether Mbappé, Vinícius, Rodrygo and company have learned the lesson about how to attack the depth in the spaces that Barça leaves.
The good work of Flick’s team requires perfect synchronization between the passer and the unmarker. A factor that can help the Madrid team is that one of the best finishers (Bellingham) will not start from the top but from the second line. In addition, he is in good harmony towards goals (seven goals in the last eight games).
3. Valverde as covered
The source of offensive danger will depend, of course, on the offensive players (Vinícius, Mbappé, Bellingham, Rodrygo, even Brahim when he comes out). However, we must not forget the role that Fede Valverde can play. First of all, because he is the player most used by Ancelotti this season as well (behind Koundé, he is the player with the most minutes in Europe in 2024) and, later, because of his importance both in pressing and in deploying the ball. With so much offensive threat, he is a very powerful weapon from a distance.
He has a spectacular shot that he does not hesitate to use when opponents concede meters in the wide zone. In fact, 90% of the Uruguayan’s total shots come from distant areas. So much so that the five goals he has scored in the League all come from long-range shots.
4. Pressure and depth defense
The Madrid team has been excessively irregular this season. A large part of these drops in performance have appeared when Madrid has not made enough effort in forward pressure. And the reality is that the merengue team has shown two very different faces when it has pressed well compared to when it has not. It will be vital to adjust this practice for Madrid’s interests. If Ancelotti’s team wants to have a favorable match, they will have to be very sacrificed in pressing after losing the ball, as well as in defending spaces every time they have to run towards their goal.
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