Of all the matches from Europe’s major leagues this season involving two title challengers, it’s difficult to think of a worse contest than Saturday night’s Madrid derby.
It was no surprise that a match involving Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid was scrappy and, in one way, you could argue that vindicated his tactics. But rather than being aggressive, stop-start and chaotic, the 1-1 draw was defined by its lack of quality. It featured poor first touches, disjointed formations, a lack of midfield guile and minimal cohesion in the final third. Atletico’s goal came from a controversially awarded penalty and Real’s from a rebound falling nicely for Kylian Mbappe.
Still, there was something interesting about that Real Madrid equaliser.
For long periods in the first half, Real did not seem to know how to break down Atletico, whose deep defence meant that Mbappe could not follow his usual approach to big games this season and repeatedly test the opposition’s offside line. So he dropped short regularly into midfield (as circled below), in part because Real lack the creativity we’ve come to expect in that zone, with Toni Kroos retired and Luka Modric generally used from the bench.
But Mbappe rarely progressed the ball and when Real were funnelled out wide as Atletico dropped into a 5-3-2, they often had no one to cross to, with Vinicius Junior and Mbappe floating around in deeper positions.
Things changed after the break. Atletico’s 5-3-2 shifted into an even deeper 5-4-1, and Real started to use width. Vinicius Jr and Rodryo worked the flanks more. Lucas Vazquez and Fran Garcia overlapped to create overloads. But, more than anything else, Jude Bellingham pushed on and became Real’s target for crosses. Before half-time, he played as if he was banned from moving into the box. After half-time, he played with more freedom (illustrated in his touch map below).
Bellingham’s positional development in Spain has been unusual. Signed as an attacking midfielder, he spent the first half of last season effectively leading the line and recording outstanding goalscoring figures, before being used as more of a midfielder towards the end of the campaign. Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo were the main attacking threats, and in Joselu they had a super sub who proved effective beyond anyone’s expectations.
In the summer, Mbappe arrived, the side became more top-heavy, and Bellingham’s position was inevitably as midfielder more than forward. The caveat, though, is that the plan B, Joselu, is no longer there as Real’s target man in times of desperation after leaving for Al Gharafa in Qatar.
Bellingham is, in a sense, the new Joselu. The difference is that Bellingham invariably starts matches as a midfielder but, in certain situations in the box, he’s a more natural striker than Mbappe. The Frenchman’s speed ensures that his movement is difficult to track, but he’s not particularly effective in the air, and he doesn’t always position himself correctly when the ball is wide — and that’s where Bellingham comes in.
Mbappe scored the goal on Saturday night but Bellingham created the situation in the first place, with his clever movement evading Javi Galan (circled below), allowing him to shoot from Rodrygo’s drilled low cross before Mbappe bounced home the rebound.
Bellingham had a good chance to win the game with a decent headed effort after Real worked a short corner.
By the end of the game, Bellingham had attempted five shots, two more than anyone else on the pitch. His movement for Real’s goal was slightly reminiscent of his recent goal at Brest, which was probably a more interesting situation because it showed how Bellingham was prompting the attack from midfield as well as pushing into the box to finish it off.
Again, while his penalty-box qualities are required at some points, Real are also lacking their usual command of midfield — not helped by the absence of their most technically accomplished defenders — and need support in that zone, too.
But Bellingham is scoring proper No 9 (striker) goals. He headed home an equaliser against Rayo Vallecano. His recent goals against Leganes, Athletic Club and Mallorca were rebounds from his team-mates’ shots, and his strike against Girona came when he anticipated a loose ball quicker than anyone after a cross was half-cleared. He’s another player who can be used as a No 8 (central midfielder) or a No 9, as Cody Gakpo, Kai Havertz and Julian Alvarez were in the Premier League last season.
Despite their position at the summit of La Liga, Real Madrid look less cohesive than last season. But before the Champions League knockout phase starts this week, it’s worth remembering that they consistently turn it on at the business end of the season, particularly in Europe. They might be regarded as the continent’s most glamorous club, but they grind out results too.
If they’re to win the Champions League again this season, Bellingham — the new plan B, and the master of pouncing on loose balls — will probably play a role.
(Top photo: Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images)
