Marca: Real Madrid’s midfield has lost its former rhythm, and passing routes are more concentrated on the wings.

In the past few months, Real Madrid's midfield seems to have lost its former rhythm. The midfield was once a key area for Real Madrid to control the game, but now it seems a bit empty. "Marca" analyzed this.

The passing route has also changed in Real Madrid's game. It no longer passes through the core of the team frequently, but appears more often on the wings. In just one month, Alonso's team went from being dominant players in the middle of the field to being marginalized. Statistics support this observation. In the game against Getafe, the team completed 327 passes in the opponent's half, 149 of which were in the offensive third, but the pass success rate was only 75%, which was the lowest this month and the same as the game against Rayo Vallecano. In that game, in the absence of a genuine attacking midfielder (Guler came on as a substitute in the second half and assisted Mbappe), Real Madrid lacked an effective connection between the midfielder and the forward line.

Facing Juventus, Real Madrid regained control. They completed 393 passes in the opponent's half, 212 of which were in the offensive third, with a pass success rate of 85%. This game showed the most familiar side of the team. The opponent was in a sluggish state, Joan Armene and Guler performed well, and Bellingham also participated in the organization in the midfield.

However, this balance was quickly broken. Against Barcelona, ​​the team's possession rate in the midfield dropped; it picked up against Valencia, but it was more like a blip. In subsequent games against Liverpool and Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid completed 255 and 191 passes in the opponent's half respectively, with a final passing success rate of approximately 73%. The number of passes into the final third dropped from 126 against Valencia to 55 against Rayo Vallecano, a drop of more than 50%. While the passing game remains fluid, there is a lack of depth.

When facing Getafe, Real Madrid's overall formation remained compact. A clear triangle was formed between Joan Armene, Guler and Bellingham, which can effectively connect the team. Against Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid's front was stretched too long. Camavinga and Guler's positions overlap, while Bellingham is more isolated, with passing routes more concentrated on the wings. Due to the difficulty in advancing from the center, the full-backs Valverde and Carreras became the new starting point of the attack, and the close contact in the midfield was spread out into a wider but more fragile network.

This change is also accompanied by other factors. With Joan Arméni out injured and Ernesto Valverde at full-back, Real Madrid have lost an important pillar of their midfield and Bellingham has moved further up the pitch. Against Getafe, he was able to return to the backcourt to participate in the organization; against Rayo Vallecano, he barely touched that area anymore. His new role makes him more of a goal threat, but also deprives the team of his link-up role in midfield. In this case, the connection between Guler and Mbappe is also affected, requiring the team to advance from the center to take advantage of them.

The problem is not passing accuracy. Real Madrid's number of errant passes in their own half has remained stable, ranging from about 9 to 17 times per game. Real Madrid still emphasize possession, but now the ball is passed farther than before, and the team has changed the way and location of the pass.

Restoring midfield control is not just a matter of numbers, but also an issue of identity. During this international break, Alonso needs to work hard to reconnect all parts of the team so that they not only continue to play well, but also threaten opponents from where they do best.