Barcelona – Real Madrid: Fourth Tarnish In A Row For Carlo Ancelotti (4-3)

Goals’ festival became a tradition for Barcelona’s Hansi Flick. In a clash of high stakes, the Catalans came out victorious for the fourth game in a row against rivals Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti’s questionable strategy exposed the white team’s defensive lapses, whereas Barcelona’s offside trap and highline kept raising question marks.

Tactical analysis and match report by Achraf Lamdarhri.

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After an energy-consuming and mentally draining clash against Internazionale, Barcelona flew back to Spain for another make-or-break battle against Real Madrid. Losing means Los Blancos’ hopes of a non-trophyless season will be revived, whilst winning expands the difference to seven points and LaLiga title is most likely in the bag.

Real Madrid’s season was nothing more than an uphill battle. The team grappled for balance, getting tarnished by opponents of the same caliber over the season and struggling to convince against average rivals. Carlo Ancelotti’s positional freedom and offensive power trust didn’t meet the expectations and could not mask the team’s defensive problems. As a consequence, Real Madrid is determined to seek a change in the dugout, with Xabi Alonso as the main contender to take over the white castle.

Hansi Flick has settled on the same starting eleven as the Internazionale game. Eric García continued to act as a right back and Gerard Martin as a left back. Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez remained the main defensive partnership. Pedri and Frankie De Jong slotted in the pivot. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha started on the flanks on paper, whereas Dani Olmo operated behind Ferran Torres.

With five players missing in the backline, Carlo Ancelotti opted for Aurélien Tchouaméni to join Raúl Asencio in the heart of the defense, with Lucas Vázquez on the right and Fran García on the left. Federico Valverde formed a double pivot with Dani Ceballos. Vinícius Júnior acted as a left winger with Arda Güler. Jude Bellingham played behind Kylian Mbappé.

Despite all the defensive woes, Real Madrid led the score

Similar to the first half of the Copa del Rey final, Carlo Ancelotti set his team to rely on long balls as a gateway from Barcelona’s high press. This time, it was Federico Valverde who stepped down next to Thibaut Courtois to play long passes forward, turning the game into aerial duels and a second balls battle in the home team’s half.

Once, Carlo Ancelotti stated that counterattacks are the simple way to score. Therefore, Real Madrid opted for such a strategy, given the speed they have in Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé, to catch the rivals off guard and keep the ball away from dangerous zones. Three minutes in, Federico Valverde noticed Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham channel runs behind the defense. Pau Cubarsí played the former onside, driving Wojciech Szczęsny to foul Real Madrid’s striker and cost Barcelona an early goal.

The visitors adopted a conservative approach against the Catalans’ offensive outburst. High up the pitch, Barcelona attacked in a 2-3-5 shape in which Pedri had the license to roam, drawing Bellingham’s attention. Arda Güler jumped on whoever carried the ball on the right side, with Lucas Vázquez on Gerard Martin. The visitors committed both center-backs to keep tabs on Ferran Torres, with Ceballos engaging with Raphinha and Valverde following Dani Olmo. That saw Real Madrid defend in a 5-4-1 low block.

For the sake of having a numerical advantage in the backline, Real Madrid were outnumbered in the front. As a result, Barcelona comfortably switched play toward the right side, where Lamine Yamal came short, dragging Fran Garcia with him to combine in a one-two with Eric Garcia, bypassing Real Madrid’s left back and winger and taking advantage of the space generated by such an act to penetrate the box and deliver crosses.

From a static position, Real Madrid’s man-oriented press was effective. However, in open play, the home side found avenues to cut through the white team.

11th minute: Barcelona buildup sequence. Pedri draws Ceballos’ attention, and Federico Valverde is in a dilemma about whether he should jump onto Dani Olmo or shift across toward Raphinha. Jude Bellingham not closing the distance between him and Olmo allows Iñigo Martínez to prod the ball onto the former, who sets free Ferran Torres.

Barcelona’s attacking midfielders in, Raphinha and Dani Olmo, were key components to their team’s fluid attacking sequences. On the right, one of them pinned back Valverde, whilst on the left, the other tied Ceballos’ hands. Moreover, De Jong’s leaning toward the left attracted Arda Güler, which vacated the central corridor for Pedri to push forward. Not only did the hosts’ tens and striker counter-movement generate space behind, but it also dragged Real Madrid’s right back inside, creating high-quality crossing situations for Gerard Martin to find players coming from behind.

Real Madrid’s counterattacks were the Go-To plan to strike. Fourteen minutes in, Lamine Yamal was dispossessed in his way, cutting inside. Jude Bellingham collected the ball and found Vinícius Júnior near the touchlines. The latter, with a Trivela pass, released Mbappé in space to fire the ball home.

Barcelona exploited Real Madrid’s right side by the book

In possession, Lucas Vázquez tended to push on. However, he and Arda Güler’s loose balls served Barcelona’s transitions well behind the Spaniard right back. Out of possession, Lucas Vázquez was easily dragged by Raphinha to offer Gerard Martin space to attack coming from behind.

In fact, Barcelona’s equalizer came as a result of the hosts driving the visitors toward the right flank. From there, Gerard Martin pounced on Lucas Vázquez, forcing him to play longer. De Jong collected the ball, initiating Barcelona’s attack. The home side exploited Real Madrid’s ineptitude in rearranging their lines to connect passes until they pinned them backward. Pedri fed Ferran Torres at the edge of the box. The former sprinted behind, drawing Fran Garcia’s attention. That evacuated the space for Lamine Yamal to receive Torres’ pass and curl the ball into the bottom left of the net.

Two minutes later, Pedri extracted the ball from Dani Ceballos and Kylian Mbappé in the middle of the park due to a miscommunication between the pair. Whereas Lucas Vázquez readied himself to advance, Pedri prodded the ball behind his compatriot to Raphinha, who put Barcelona one goal ahead.

36th minute: Barcelona lures Real Madrid to push up. Gerard Martin drops deeper, pulling Lucas Vázquez out of position. In the meantime, Ferran Torres races out behind Tchouaméni to receive Iñigo Martínez’ diagonal pass.

Frenkie de Jong and Pedri tended to bait Ceballos and Bellingham forward to exploit the gap that opened up between the lines. From there, one of Barcelona’s attacking midfielders came short to receive, whilst the other pinned Valverde. Meanwhile, De Jong darted behind his marker to link between the dropping Raphinha and the advanced Gerard Martin. The latter swum behind Lucas Vázquez, driving toward the byline to cut the ball back.

In addition, Eric Garcia occasionally pushed higher up the pitch. As a result, he tied Fran Garcia’s hands, allowing Lamine Yamal space down the right-inside channel to whip a Trivela pass into Raphinha, who came behind Lucas Vázquez and from Tchouaméni’s blind side.

Misfortunes never come alone. After regaining a second ball, Arda Güler played the ball back to Lucas Vázquez. Raphinha pressed the latter into error and knocked the ball to Ferran Torres. Barcelona’s striker squared the pass to Raphinha to double the score.

Real Madrid’s runs in behind and Brahim Diaz’s impact 

Brahim Díaz replaced Arda Güler, and Dani Ceballos made way for old veteran Luka Modrić, who brought some control to Real Madrid’s midfield.

In possession, Brahim Diaz had the license to stroll. When he drifted infield, Gerard Martin followed his movements. The visitors intended to hurt the Catalans by targeting Lucas Vázquez, who was momentarily free. To elaborate, Real Madrid aimed to exploit the large distance between Gerard Martin and Vázquez to enable the latter to combine with Brahim Diaz, who shifted wide. Iñigo Martínez left his man free and jumped on Vázquez. As a result, the Moroccan international was able to receive in space and set runners in behind Barcelona’s highline.

Late channel runs proved efficient in breaking down Barcelona’s offside trap. Ten minutes into the second half, Fran Garcia won the one-on-one situation against Lamine Yamal, knocked the ball into Vinícius Júnior, and sprinted behind Eric Garcia. The former released Mbappé behind Pau Cubarsí. The French striker’s effort went out near the bottom right post.

Brahim Díaz feeding runners in behind didn’t seem to end. From Eric Garcia’s miscontrol in the middle of the park, Diaz collected the ball and prodded it onto Vinícius Júnior. Mbappé, waiting for Junior’s square pass at the edge of the six-yard, went down the drain as Christensen’s last-second ditch cleared it away.

Barcelona enticing Real Madrid to press, and Lamine Yamal runs in beyond

The home side never stopped luring the white team to press forward, generating a gap between their lines where Ferran Torres tended to drop into. The Catalan striker pulled Raúl Asencio out of his position, making half of the pitch free for Raphinha to exploit behind Tchouaméni.

Alejandro Balde and Andreas Christensen came on for Gerard Martin and Pau Cubarsí. Balde exploited Real Madrid’s man-to-man high press and Lucas Vázquez’s lateness to carry the ball infield. In the meantime, Jude Bellingham left Pedri and ran into the ball holder. As a consequence, Balde and Pedri threaded in a one-two combination, breaking down the visitors’ second line of the press. Barcelona’s left back galloped the length of the pitch to arrive at the final third and overload Tchouaméni. Balde picked out Raphinha to play the ball across the goal. However, Asencio cleared the hosts’ delivery.

The home team generated numerical superiority on the right side via Raphinha joining Eric Garcia and Lamine Yamal. Consequently, Raphinha was able to combine as he shifted across, exploiting the overload he offered whilst moving back to the left. Not only that, but his runs in behind expanded Real Madrid’s between-the-lines for Ferran Torres to take action.

69th minute: Barcelona attracts the visitors to press forward. Lucas Vázquez jumps onto Alejandro Balde. Barcelona midfielders pin Real Madrid’s midfielders on the right. As a result, Raphinha drops off to receive Iñigo Martínez’s line-breaking pass. The former finds Ferran Torres running behind Raúl Asencio. However, the pass is out of Torres’ reach.

On the right side, the home side tended to make use of runs beyond Fran Garcia. That came through Dani Olmo pinning Valverde down the right-inside channel, Vinícius Júnior lethargically pressing Eric Garcia. Hence, the latter glided the ball inside for Lamine Yamal, who raced out beyond Fran Gracia to cross the ball toward Raphinha in the far post. A similar pattern replicated itself when Héctor Fort enticed Vinícius Júnior to jump on and play the ball over the top to Lamine Yamal to drive inside and shoot.

Real Madrid late wake-up

From a ball regain near the halfway line on the right, Luka Modrić released Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé behind the home team defense to reduce the deficit to one goal.

Endrick replaced Lucas Vázquez. Thus, Brahim Diaz roamed inside. Not only that, but Valverde acted as a center-back in the initial phase. The Uruguayan tended to take the ball to the left in order to connect passes with Fran Garcia. That broke down Barcelona’s first line and overloaded their midfield, as Valverde kept adding himself to the crew as the ball went up. From there, Brahim Diaz carried the ball, taking advantage of his ability to retain it to take on his markers. To access the final third, the Moroccan fed runners in behind. However, Vinícius Júnior kept squandering chances as he made inaccurate decisions.

One minute until the end, from the left side, Fran Garcia found Brahim Diaz shifting wide. The latter came out of traffic, picking out Kylian Mbappé, who put the substitute Víctor Muñoz behind Barcelona’s defense in an isolated situation against the goalkeeper. However, Víctor Muñoz blasted the ball out.

Takeaways

Real Madrid started the game perfectly, exploiting their rivals’ highline and offside trap via channel runs and counterattacks. Nevertheless, succumbing is not a word in Barcelona’s book with Hansi Flick. Eric Garcia, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha turned the tables ahead, exploiting Real Madrid’s right-side defensive frailties.

In the second part of the game, Luka Modrić and Brahim Diaz injected some control, stability, and creativity. However, the defensive woes kept hindering both teams, leading to numerous goal-scoring chances on both ends of the pitch. Thibaut Courtois saved his team from a potential disaster, whereas Real Madrid’s players were lacking efficiency in front of the goal.

This is Barcelona’s fourth win in a row against Real Madrid over the 202425 season. Also, it is the second in LaLiga, which allows the Catalans to expand the gap to a seven-point difference. Mathematically, Barcelona can drop the curtains over the league title should they win the game against Espanyol in the next round.

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