The situation
Ancelotti’s team won the derby with signs of identity that were different from those that had characterized them at the start of the season. Real Madrid, which has cemented its spectacular start to the season in the second half, won the derby in the first half. The team that dominates its opponents knew how to handle itself ‘submitted’ by Atlético . The squad that delighted Celtic with their goal after 33 touches opened the scoring at the Metropolitano with an action of speed and verticality culminated with a subtle touch from Rodrygo. Madrid showed in the derby that it is also capable of winning when it sheds its skin. Ancelotti ended the press conference on the eve of the derby by answering a question about his team’s strength in the second half. “We have a strategy that is the strategy of fatigue: we make believe that we are tired and in the second half we take advantage of it” , he replied with a mischievous smile. Madrid, who had a balance of six goals in the first parts and 16 after the break, left the derby on track with two goals in minutes 18 and 36. For the first time in the nine games this season, Carletto ‘s team was left without see door in the second half. Madrid had gained possession of almost all of their rivals so far. Only Celta had taken the ball from him (the whites had 49% possession in Balaídos) and Betis disputed it (50.1% for Madrid versus 49.9%). Atlético went one step further and left their eternal rival with 46.8% possession. Madrid finished off the half of their opponent (12-6), made fewer passes, had less success in deliveries and also less presence in the final meters. After the third goal against Celtic, which aroused the admiration of strangers in a play cooked over a slow fire and with 33 passes in which eight players were involved , Ancelotti released a contradictory piece of information with that play: “That we have scored after 33 passes is not it means that this is our identity.
The details
The goal percentage after 10 passes is very low. The statistics say that it is easier to score later with less than ten passes” . The first goal in the derby was an example of this. Madrid appeared in Oblak’s area from a goal kick with eight passes (and a marvelous drive by Valverde) in just 25 seconds. The 0-2 was also born in its own area. It was a much longer play, lasting one minute, in which the eleven players touched the ball, but in which Madrid had to reset and look for Courtois again. Since the ball passed through the goalkeeper’s feet and domains for the second time, the whites planted themselves in the red-and-white area in seven passes until Vinicius’s shot, whose rebound was finally converted by Valverde. A Madrid that lost Benzema, but has been able to reinvent itself in its game and its goals. Only thing we have to do at this point is to wait and see what will happen in future. What awaits us will. Only thing we have to do is to wait and see, observe