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(Analysis thread): How Real Madrid can outclass Manchester City in the 2nd leg of this R16 tie
Real Madrid are down 2-1 after their unfortunate loss to City in the first leg of this UCL tie. Real will need at least 2 goals to advance and this thread will go over how Madrid can rally back.
There’s two starting 11s I have for Madrid. One being the tried and tested diamond. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to start Modric or Valverde, so I picked both and both will play the same role, with Modric being better offensively and Fede better defensively.
This 11 is more attacking with a 4-2-3-1 featuring Marco Asensio. This lineup will be a lot more fluid and offensively strong but may lack workrate defensively and when defending counterattacks.
I expect City to start a 4-2-3-1 as well. They have used a double pivot in their most challenging matches, and will likely ditch the double false 9 to feature dynamic wingers like Sterling and Mahrez, who both played well in Madrid.
For the sake of the length of this thread, we won’t go over City’s single pivot set up, however if I were an analyst in real life it would be much needed.
Gameplan:
Try to sustain possession by creating superiorities across the pitch
Rather than pressing instinctively, press more conservatively. Prize compactness over pressure and make sure an area of the pitch is covered after a player leaves to press.
Try to sustain possession by creating superiorities across the pitch
Rather than pressing instinctively, press more conservatively. Prize compactness over pressure and make sure an area of the pitch is covered after a player leaves to press.
Real Madrid should want to take the game in their hands and have as much of the ball to create as many opportunities as possible. But they also shouldn’t be afraid to drop into a midblock and defend compactly. Effective mid and deep blocks have been City’s largest threat.
Real Madrid kept 48% possession v City in the first leg, a percentage too high for most teams that they’ve faced.
Adding Kroos to the 11 adds more press resistance against City’s aggressive defending and will help Madrid play out the back.
Adding Kroos to the 11 adds more press resistance against City’s aggressive defending and will help Madrid play out the back.
The goal of the CBs when building from the GK is to attract pressure from the first line to open space for the pivot. In the 442 we’d be luring in one of STs and in the 433 we’d be luring wingers.The winger or ST will vacate space to allow one of our CMs to arrive into that space
Man City will commit their CMs high to press the double pivot. This is where the pivots will be forced to pass laterally to the FB. The spaces vacated by the CMs is where the wingers (Hazard and Asensio) or free roaming Isco can drop in and create a passing option for the FBs.
When Madrid are building up outside of the box, a 2-1 is the best setup against City’s 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 presses. Versus the 4-4-2, it creates a 3v2 against the first line.
Our two pivots/wide CMs will create a dilemma for their CMs, if they mark man for man Isco would be free.
Our two pivots/wide CMs will create a dilemma for their CMs, if they mark man for man Isco would be free.
But if City leaves one of our pivots open to have one of their mids mark Isco, it’ll help to pin back City’s shape and give one of our pivots time on the ball to find a pass. Hazard can drop into the left halfspace if Isco is marked and can be a passing option for the open pivot.
When City are forced into their half, they always fall into a 4-4-2 shape. Our attacking setup will vary between the lineup containing Asensio and the lineup containing Modric/Fede. The attack will have to be very fluid to take advantage of City’s aggressive defensive style.
The setup will still use a 2 CB + 3 CM setup with any of the three CMs having the freedom to drop into the backline to create a superiority and help progress the ball. This setup of at least 5 players in the buildup phase also helps to serve as counterattacking protection.
2+1 setup will help us progress past the first line. Casemiro will be positioned between the strikers acting as sort of “pinner” to make one of the STs commit to him. One of the strikers will press the CB with the ball leaving the CB on the opposite open to be able to progress.
The CB progressing the ball will look to attract pressure of winger to open space for our wide CM to progress, creating a 2v1 in that area. The ball-far ST will now move in between the two CBs to pin them. This will allow Madrid to create a 4v3 with ten ball-near ST being free.
On quick transitions on the right side, Modric/Fede can be used on underlaps in the halfspace. Benzema would then move between the two CBs to pin them and be a central option for the cut back. Carvajal will be used to pull the LB out of space to open the halfspace.
The lineup with Asensio will see Carvajal play deeper and move inside as an inverted RB at times to lure the winger inside and allow Asensio to drop deeper to receive the ball. He should pull City’s LB out of his space and allow Benzema or Isco to run into that wide space.
The Modric/Fede lineup can use inverted fullbacks in buildup as well. Madrid can utilize their usual wide rotation with an FB inverting, wide forward dropping off into the FB’s vacated space, and the wide CM attacking the wide space vacated by the wide forward.
Against the 433 press, it makes more sense to play Asensio as I will explain later. But in this lineup, Isco will drop as one of the pivot/wide CM in the same buildup shape as against the 442 press, and should use his press resistance to attract the press and progress the ball.
The pivots will move wide or inside to lure opposition CMs and open passing lanes for the CBs to make vertical passes into Hazard and Asensio.They’ll also be able to create a box in midfield to open diagonal passing lanes. Eden and Asensio will have a 2v1 advantage over City’s DM
If our fullbacks remain lower, it will force City’s wingers to have to position themselves between the FB and CB to prevent the pass to the FB. This would open a vertical passing lane for the CBs to find Hazard or Asensio.
The same buildup being used against the 442 press can be used against the 433 press as well. The diamond opens diagonal passing lanes against a 4-3-3. Synchronized movements from our diamond can open long diagonal passing lanes to any of our two STs, who can drop off and receive.
Or, our wide CMs can make wide or inside movements to open vertical passing lanes for our CBs or diagonal passing lines for our FBs to one of our STs who can drop deep to receive. One of Asensio or Hazard can be used as the AM and one as the wide ST in the lineup with Asensio.
City build with a 3+2, using their double pivot at the top of the box and with Ederson as the CCB playing a huge role in picking out passes in-behind. City’s used the structure to outclass Liverpool’s 4-3-3 press and will likely use it again.
Vs City’s buildup:
Madrid should use a 4-4-2 to press with some tweaks from a regular one. The wingers will be responsible for casting a cover shadow between the CB and FB. Our STs will mark the City pivots, one ST will stand in front of the higher pivot to cut off the pass.
Madrid should use a 4-4-2 to press with some tweaks from a regular one. The wingers will be responsible for casting a cover shadow between the CB and FB. Our STs will mark the City pivots, one ST will stand in front of the higher pivot to cut off the pass.
The other ST will be Modric/Fede and will play a bit deeper, behind the lower pivot. The lower pivot has space to receive but has his vertical passing lane cut off. The higher pivot will have a cover shadow between he and the CB cutting off that passing lane.
If wingers fail to cast cover shadow between CB and FB, our FBs will press high to negate progression from City’s FBs. The ball-side CB will cover the wide space vacated by our FB and Casemiro will drop off as another CB to cover for the ball-side CB and create a back 4.
The goal is force Ederson into long balls. Instead of pressing him we allow him to go long, since our size advantage with Varane, Militao, and Casemiro will allow us to win aerial duels in the center.
It’s also important to have at least two players between the lines to disrupt City’s creators. Liverpool committed all three of their CMs forward to press and it resulted in a wide open Sterling able to hit Liverpool on the transition.
Madrid should use a 4-1-4-1 mid block when in the defensive phase. It’s already Zidane’s preferred defensive formation, and it worked very well in the 1st half of the 1st leg. Chelsea also used the 4-1-4-1 in defense vs MCI and held them to a low xG of 0.55.
One of the features in Zidane’s 4-1-4-1 is the use of the interiors to press the CBs and was used against MCI. The two interiors would stay close on City’s two pivots, and would press the CB while casting a cover shadow on their pivot. This creates a 2v2 against their 1st line.
When one of the interiors commits to pressing a CB, Casemiro should fill in his space in case one of City’s pivots moves out the interior’s cover shadow. The ball-far interior will also drop off to create a double pivot with Casemiro to cover the central spaces.
Casemiro’s role of marking the players in between the lines is important, and many of City’s attackers will drop deep to try to get on the ball. Casemiro should look to pressure those who drop deep and force the back pass while the ball-side interior drops off to cover the DM.
A compact 4-1-4-1 can utilize effective halfspace pressing traps, as Chelsea did. A ball side winger, interior, CB, FB, and Casemiro are all in proximity of halfspace and at least 2-3 of these players should collapse on the player while the other 2 or 3 players cut off pass lanes
City in the final third:
Two players providing width, two players in each halfspace, and one players occupying the CBs. Our FBs should engage with City’s width providers, while our CBs cover the halfspaces. Casemiro should then drop between the CBs to cover the center space.
Two players providing width, two players in each halfspace, and one players occupying the CBs. Our FBs should engage with City’s width providers, while our CBs cover the halfspaces. Casemiro should then drop between the CBs to cover the center space.
City’s wide men usually attract the FB wide to open space in halfspace for their playmakers. Allowing the CBs to move into the halfspace will help to occupy the space and prevents runs into it. Casemiro has to drop into the centerspace as Madrid will be left vulnerable to crosses
And that is the end of this analysis. I tried my best to be as realistic as possible in terms of incorporating Zidane’s tactical principles. I focused more on ways of how we could defeat City’s structures with Zidane’s tactical nuances rather than experimenting a whole new setup.
Likes and RTs are appreciated and feedback is even more appreciated 
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Any feedback from any of you guys on this thread would be much appreciated! Thanks
Any feedback from any of you guys on this thread would be much appreciated! Thanks
@Loconte199 would appreciate some feedback on this thread, thanks.
@Shaharyarsays would love to hear some feedback from you on my thread, thanks!
