We were left wanting to see how Xabi Alonso‘s approach would have worked against Pachuca following the sending off of Asencio seven minutes into the game. After a first match in which the Tolosa-born coach opted for a system that was unchanged from Ancelotti’s, against Pachuca he decided to do without Rodrygo and reshuffle the midfield with Arda Güler. And despite the change in the initial script, the Turkish player’s presence was key in seeing a Real Madrid side that is closer to the version we want to see.
Güler controls the midfield
The Turkish footballer was the big news in Xabi Alonso‘s starting eleven against Pachuca. The Basque coach dropped Rodrygo—leaving Gonzalo in the starting eleven—so that Güler could take charge in midfield. And despite Asencio‘s sending off after seven minutes, this did not prevent the player from controlling the midfield. His presence was good for Madrid when they were trying to get the ball out of their half, helped by Huijsen, who looks like he’s been playing for Real all his life, and this allowed the team to play more freely and with less pressure.
One of the players who benefited most from the presence of a player who takes responsibility for bringing the ball out was Valverde: we saw the best Uruguayan of recent years, freed from a task that is not his, that of making the team play, so that he could do what he does best, play to strengthen the team. He was once again the unstoppable player he is, knowing how to take advantage of spaces to get past lines, get into attacking areas, and help out in defense as only he can.
Both players, along with Bellingham, rendered Pachuca’s numerical superiority meaningless and showed that quality, with effort and hard work, can overcome muscle and that games are won in midfield.
Reinforcement for Real Madrid
At Real Madrid, they still see a need to sign a player who can do these tasks naturally. Güler has undeniable quality, but he is a player who tends to occupy more offensive positions. This was demonstrated in the play that led to his second goal. His tendency is to look up and get into attacking positions. He has a lot to improve if he wants to establish himself in more defensive positions, but the truth is that he is giving reasons to earn his place in the starting eleven.
Until another player arrives, it seems that he will be the player chosen to help a midfield that has been one of Real Madrid’s weak points throughout the season and which, yesterday, seemed to get back on track. And it wasn’t just the Turkish player: the introduction of Modric and Ceballos gave the team a touch of quality and mobility that had been missing for a long time. Between them, the two players showed how to control a game when you are a man down, with quick passes and lots of movement, breaking lines and playing football.
But the star of the first half was Güler, who in the final stretch of his second season seems to be finding his place in the team he has been working so hard to earn. There are still many things to work on, especially if his new position ends up being permanent, but Real Madrid played a different game with him on the field, as demonstrated against Pachuca and in the second half against Al-Hilal.