The introduction of Bernardo Silva and Eduardo Camavinga in midfield gave Real Madrid superiority on the ball across all phases of the game against Leipzig. However, the late jumps and the defensive lapses remained Los Blancos' Achilles' heel and a hindrance to be solved before El Clásico.

Tactical analysis and match report by Achraf Lamdarhri.

Since the start of the season, Real Madrid have been fluctuating between highs and lows. Los Blancos dropped six points against Real Betis and Atlético Madrid, which places them third in La Liga. The performances after the international break left many question marks about Real Madrid's ability to win titles this term. After a hard-fought victory against Villarreal, Mourinho's side displayed a short of solutions' show against Roma's Gasperini. Arda Guler substitution gave the team a fresh breath in the last moments of the game and played an important role in Real Madrid's Remontada via his ability to progress the play and his accurate deliveries from corners. Nonetheless, Real Madrid bounced back against Sevilla, putting on a convincing performance before El Clásico.

Leipzig is a club renowned for investing in prospect talents from around the world and selling them to the big clubs for a big return on investment. Yan Diomandé was the latest player on that chain, as Leipzig sealed the deal with Real Madrid for 125 million euros after they bought him from Leganés for just 25 million euros in the summer of 2026. Diomandé was not the only player who departed Leipzig. Péter Gulácsi and Xaver Schlager were two of . . .