Real Madrid Lineup: Salzburg UEFA Match

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Post on Jan 23, 2025

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Real Madrid Lineup: Deconstructing the Salzburg UEFA Match

Hey football fanatics! Let's dive into that Real Madrid vs. Salzburg UEFA Champions League clash. Man, what a game! I was glued to my screen, practically chewing my fingernails off. This post is gonna break down the lineup, the tactics, and where I think things went right (and, let's be honest, wrong) for Los Blancos.

The Starting XI: A Mixed Bag

Real Madrid’s starting eleven wasn't exactly what I expected. I mean, I kinda saw it coming, but still... Ancelotti went with a slightly more experimental setup than usual, which always keeps things interesting. We had Courtois in goal, obviously – the guy's a rock. The back four? Well, that's where things got a little… unpredictable. We saw Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, and Mendy. A pretty solid defense, right? On paper, yeah. But the execution? A bit wobbly at times.

Midfield Mastery (or Lack Thereof)

The midfield was a key area of focus for me. Camavinga, Modric, and Valverde. Modric, as always, was a maestro, his passes were laser-guided missiles. However, Camavinga seemed a bit out of sync in the first half. Valverde? Solid as ever, but I felt he was slightly less impactful than usual. I think Ancelotti probably wanted more defensive solidity in the midfield – Salzburg were pretty aggressive – but it sometimes hampered our attacking flow. The whole midfield felt a bit… static at times. More movement, I think, would’ve broken through Salzburg’s defense better.

The Attacking Trio: Benzema's Burden

Upfront, we had Benzema, Vinicius Jr., and Rodrygo. Benzema, bless his cotton socks, was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, trying to create chances from nothing. Vinicius was his usual electric self, but Salzburg's defense did a pretty good job of keeping him in check. Rodrygo? Solid, but not spectacular. They lacked the killer instinct; that little bit of magic to unlock the Salzburg defense more often. They were certainly lacking creative sparks. It felt like they were trying too hard at times.

Tactical Tweaks: What Worked, What Didn't

Ancelotti's tactics were… interesting. I felt the high press wasn't always consistent. We were winning the ball back high up the pitch sometimes, which led to some great opportunities, but other times we just looked lost. They just seemed a bit disjointed in how they pressed at times. They lacked that team unity. The transitions were also a bit clunky. They weren't quite able to shift from defense to attack smoothly, which gave Salzburg chances to regroup.

What could have been better? More crosses into the box. This team has incredible talent, so I really thought that putting in more crosses could have caused chaos for Salzburg's defense. It would have allowed more opportunities for headers, and created more chaos in the box.

Key Takeaways and Future Predictions

This game wasn’t a total disaster, but it certainly highlighted some areas for improvement. The midfield needs more dynamism, the attacking trio needs to find a better connection, and the team needs to work on their transition play. But hey, it's still early in the Champions League. I think, with a few tweaks, they’ll be back to their usual selves soon enough. We can't write them off just yet! Hala Madrid!

This is just my take, of course. I'm no tactical genius, just a passionate fan who’s analyzing a match. What were your thoughts on the lineup and the performance? Let's chat in the comments!