Real Madrid Celebrates Another Final Appearance Despite FC Bayern Struggles: A Closer Look at Ancelotti’s Success

While FC Bayern struggles with the performance of the referee, Real Madrid celebrates another final appearance. Even after the Benzema era, the proud club remains a force in European football.

But the 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena, also due to two mistakes by Bayern defender Kim Min-Jae, was a success for Bayern Real Madrid. The head coach was there for the second leg Carlo Ancelottiwho cut his teeth on the coaching job at Bayern in 2016 and 2017, thinking of smaller tactical tricks. None of this was surprising.

Madrid played mainly on the left, as they have done for years. Once it is cranked Toni Kroos along with left back Marcelo at the back Cristiano Ronaldo the game on the left. A few years later it was Luka Moddrić and Karim Benzema. At the same time, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior come from the left. The names have changed, but the individual quality is still very high.

In general, Real Madrid succeeds on the individual class of the team, as they did in Carlo Ancelotti’s first term in office and then under the guidance of the former assistant Zinédine Zidane. In the case of the attack, for example, there are usually no clear tactical schemes. Instead, the two Brazilian attackers Vinícius and Rodrygo will especially find their way into the game.

The structure of the game will continue to be inspired by Kroos, who will fill a similar role for the German national team at the European Championships this summer. For many years, Kroos and Modrić played together in central midfield, often supported by the defensively strong Casemiro. These days it’s usually Kroos in the starting lineup, initially playing alongside a physically strong six like Aurélien Tchouaméni, while Modrić comes in for the latter. Both veterans can still shape the game from the halves with their well-weighted passes. Kroos has an advantage over Modrić because he has more power when he presses. Bayern’s offensive players also felt this in counter-attacks, as Kroos often entered the running lane and reduced an attacker.

Interestingly, Ancelotti’s success runs counter to the trends in major European football. The 64-year-old Italian, who had enjoyed a period of success in the 2000s AC Milan He does not use sophisticated pressing and does not make the game structure of his team clearly unpredictable. All opponents usually know what to expect from Madrid. But the pool of outstanding talent still makes it inclusive for every team Manchester City and Bayern Municheliminated by Madrid in this season’s Champions League, it is difficult to find the right antidotes.

Along with Tchouaméni, Kroos neutralized Bayern’s midfield, and when they had the ball, the playmaking equipment would regularly go to Vinícius so he could look for one-on-one situations. It seems almost too banal to be successful. But Madrid’s credit under President Florentino Pérez has been for decades to gather the best players in the world and fill the trophy cabinet with a star ensemble. In some years that didn’t work, but the pragmatist Ancelotti might be the perfect coach for a world club like Real Madrid, which stands for the simplicity of football like nothing else.