As Xabi Alonso imposes his tactical ideas on Real Madrid, there have been compelling, subtle tweaks across the tournament.
That continued as Madrid defeated Dortmund 3-2 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with a fluid, adaptable shape that shifted when Alonso’s side were in and out of possession.
Given their difficulties with ball progression against JuventusAlonso returned to a back-four system in possession, with Aurelien Tchouameni starting in his familiar midfield position rather than the central defender in a back three.
This meant that Madrid were able to shift the ball laterally and vertically to threaten Dortmund’s shape. While Arda Guler would occasionally drop between Madrid’s centre-backs or into a left-back position to allow Fran Garcia to stay high and wide, the below example was a typical structure from which they built.
How Madrid looked out of possession is where things looked interesting.
New signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen have assimilated well into the back line, and Alonso has expressed his satisfaction of the team’s chemistry within the early weeks. Madrid are the only side not to have fallen behind in a game across all Club World Cup teams.
With Alexander-Arnold not particularly known for his one-v-one defending, Alonso has put structural tweaks in place to mitigate against any vulnerabilities, via Federico Valverde.
The Uruguay international has deputised at right-back on many occasions for Madrid, but his discipline to protect Alexander-Arnold on Madrid’s right was a notable theme of the game against Dortmund.
As ever, Valverde was everywhere — bringing safety on the ball, pushing forward, and catalysing Madrid’s attack when needed. Off the ball, he was often playing as a wing-back.
With Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi drifting towards the touchline, Alonso was acutely aware of the threat that the pacy 23-year-old could offer — particularly when supported by wing-back Daniel Svensson.
Valverde was tasked with dropping in and forming a back five out of possession. Sometimes this would mean Alexander-Arnold taking a narrow position — almost as the right centre-back — across Madrid’s back line…
…but on other occasions, the England international returned to his wider position to track Adeyemi, with Valverde tucking in to close any gaps Dortmund could exploit and stay goalside of any runners in behind.
Such was the tactical intelligence from Alonso’s players, that the back five would be retained even if the configuration of players themselves were different.
After 23 minutes, when Antonio Rudiger was pulled into a wide position, Alexander-Arnold tucked in, Huijsen shuffled across, and Tchouameni was the one to drop into the defensive line to ensure that those gaps remained filled.
There were countless other examples, but another benefit of this situational back five is that it allows centre-backs Huijsen and Rudiger — both of whom are front-footed in their defensive style — to jump out and snuff attacks at source, knowing they have the protection of their team-mates to shuffle across.
When he is not deputising as a right-back, Valverde has been known for supporting Dani Carvajal defensively under Carlo Ancelotti — but the extent to which Valverde was dropping into the back line has been notable under Alonso.
A perfect example of Alexander-Arnold and Valverde dovetailing is shown in the second half. As Alexander-Arnold steps forward to engage with left wing-back Svensson, Valverde steps back to cover the space and shut out Felix Nmecha’s underlapping run.
A pulley system that will please Alonso as much as their finishing and shot-stopping.
“It has been a tactical tweak that we wanted,” Alonso told The Athletic after the Dortmund game.
“He had to decide when he was dropping and when he was pressing a little bit higher, but we know with Fede that he is such a complete player that he gives you whatever you need, and we use him in different tasks. So when Trent was tired, we used him as a right-back. I’m really happy to train him, and he is a top player for us.”
So, why is this so relevant? Well, Alexander-Arnold and Valverde have the unenviable task of shutting down Europe’s most threatening left-sided attacks on Wednesday against Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final.
The skills of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are one thing, but the underlapping runs from supporting team-mates means that Madrid will have to be particularly switched on in wide areas.
It might be the direct running of left-back Nuno Mendes, any one of PSG’s forward line, or a supporting midfielder — typically Fabian Ruiz — but Luis Enrique’s side have a knack for pulling players out of position.
In their quarter-final with Bayern Munich, it was Desire Doue’s run that Kvaratskhelia found in the disorganised back line of Vincent Kompany’s team. Doue’s subsequent cutback to the edge of the area found Ruiz in space, and a better finish would have seen PSG punish Bayern midway through the first half.
Even when that run is not found, it is still threatening as a decoy.
The best example of this comes from PSG’s last-16 match against Inter Miami with another penetrative underlapping run from Doue. This time, Kvaratskhelia cuts inside and drives straight towards the goal with no Miami player able to get near to him without making a foul.
While you might point to poor defending above, the speed, conviction and fluidity with which PSG drag opposition defenders away to create space is attacking play of the highest level.
For Madrid fans, the good news is that flexibility and fluidity is starting to show under Alonso, in and out of possession. Wednesday’s match will be the biggest test of that under their new head coach.
If Madrid are going to shut down PSG’s threat on the left, they will need to combine Alexander-Arnold and Valverde to great effect again.
