Analysis: How Real Madrid’s Passivity Allows Opponents To Thrive

A tactical analysis reveals that Real Madrid's passive approach out of possession continues to allow opponents to recover in tight matches. When leading, the team intentionally drops its possession from 58% to 49.8%, sitting deeper and relying on the pace of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior for counterattacks. However, an increase in long passes and the lack of a target striker have contributed to a higher rate of possession loss.

This defensive strategy faltered significantly against Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano under manager Jose Mourinho. During the derby, Real Madrid maintained under 50% possession, generated zero output from counterattacks, and produced just 0.17 xG from open play while being reduced to ten men.