In the third match of the FIFA Club World Cup, Real Madrid took to the field with a completely new face - not only in terms of players, but also in terms of system. Xabi Alonso, a son of Spanish football but a tactical master in Germany, applied the 3-5-2 formation for the first time at the Royal Spanish team.
No longer the Real Madrid of spontaneous attacks, no longer the football based on individual class, Alonso is creating a modern, organized, and special Real Madrid: proactive both with and without the ball.
“I want the team to play modern football. That means intensity, initiative, and mental strength,” Alonso declared at his unveiling at Valdebebas. And he was not just talking.
After just eight training sessions in Miami, Xabi Alonso felt his team were ready to play a tactical system that was complex and highly organised. Against Salzburg, he fielded a 1-3-5-2 formation: three centre-backs with Tchouameni deep, two full-backs in Fran García and Trent Alexander-Arnold, holding midfielders Valverde and Arda Guler behind Jude Bellingham, while Vinicius and Gonzalo Ramos played the double spearhead role.
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Real Madrid played with 3 central defenders in the match against Salzburg on the morning of June 27. |
This is not a temporary solution. It is the result of a process of preparation, research and convincing the players through constant video analysis. “When the players are in the hotel, we do not let them have free time. We want them to live with this system throughout the season,” Alonso said with determination.
The change in formation reflects a completely new way of thinking about football. Instead of rushing forward as Real Madrid have done in recent years, Alonso's team is more careful in controlling the ball and choosing when to accelerate.
“We can’t just keep going forward. Sometimes it’s better to keep the ball and leave the opposition open,” he explained. That’s why Bellingham – who is used to playing as the highest player – has now been moved back to play as an attacking midfielder, to give him more control and control in the ‘inner corridor’ area.
The special role of the two full-backs must also be mentioned. In this formation, they are not simply wingers. They must know when to drop deep to form a five-man defence, when to move inside to support the midfield, and when to attack as wingers. This flexibility allows Real Madrid to switch from 3-5-2 to 5-2-3 and back to 4-4-2 in just one movement of the ball.
Fran García, who started on the left wing, commented very realistically: “The support from Vini and Gonzalo helped us keep the game. Everything will work out - it's just a matter of time.” In that sentence, one can feel the consensus within the team with the new direction outlined by Xabi Alonso.
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Xabi Alonso reshapes Real Madrid. |
Of course, there is no guarantee of immediate success. Such a profound change will take time to perfect, for the links to understand each other and for old habits to be replaced by new reflexes. But the remarkable thing is that Real Madrid are daring to change, daring to start over, and this time, they are placing their trust in a man who used to be a conductor on the pitch - now wants to become an architect on the touchline.
Xabi Alonso is bringing more than a new formation. He is bringing a new philosophy to Real Madrid - one where football is no longer a matter of individual improvisation, but a collective work of organisation, discipline and character. And if he succeeds, it will be a completely new chapter in the history of the greatest team of the 21st century.
Source: https://znews.vn/real-madrid-dang-thay-doi-tu-goc-re-post1564122.html
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