Ancelotti faces a huge challenge this Sunday in El Clásico. The coach, who will leave the Whites at the end of the season, wants to go out on a high note, and to do so he must beat Barça, something he has failed to do in the three previous encounters this season, in which he was also thrashed. It is time to learn from mistakes and take note of the successes of Inter Milan, who knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League. ‘Carletto’ has taken notes on Inzaghi’s tactics and knows exactly what he has to do in El Clásico.
El Clásico and Ancelotti’s mistakes
Sunday’s game will be the fourth Clásico of the season, and Real Madrid has not fared well so far. The first game of the season came in the first round of LaLiga at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Barça winning 4-0. In the Spanish Super Cup, Flick’s team took the title (5-2), and they lost the Copa del Rey final in extra time (3-2).
The common denominator is that Barça’s attacking potential has prevailed over Real Madrid’s weak defense, which, on top of that, is missing key players for the match at Montjuic. The best of the three games for the Whites was the Copa del Rey final, in which Ancelotti opted to abandon his obsession with the attacking trio and opted for a diamond formation in midfield with two players up front.
The example of Inter
Inter Milan secured their place in the Champions League final in Munich after scoring seven goals against Hansi Flick’s side, although they were unable to contain Barça’s attacking potential, conceding six goals. Even so, Inzaghi’s side provided several clues as to how to beat Barça, and Carlo Ancelotti should take note.
To begin with, the key is to play as a team. In other words, it is not enough for just three or four players to put pressure on Barça. Everything has to be done as a unit, pressing to win the ball and playing it out quickly to catch the Barça defense, which has shown weaknesses.
Pedri, who is the one who makes the magic happen and who was largely absent in the match against Inter in Milan, must be kept under control. Barella did a great job of not letting him play comfortably, which made it difficult for Barça to create chances.
It’s not a good idea to sit back against Barça because if the team gets too small, the Catalans know how to hurt you. In the opposition’s area, to get past a defense that plays very well off the line, it’s important to play diagonally and look for a player to get in behind.
Last but not least, Real Madrid must call on the individual talent of its players to produce some moments of genius that will put FC Barcelona under pressure. It is the night for Vinicius and Mbappé to step up and, if Arda Güler starts, for him to establish himself, and if Rodrygo starts, for him to silence the rumors about his departure.