Arda Güler inspires Real Madrid to victory.
Real Madrid beat Getafe 1-0 at the Colliseum on Wednesday night iin La Liga through a fantastic Arda Güler goal and performance. The dress rehearsal for the Copa Del Rey final continued. Here are three quick observations.
The Arda Güler show
It finally happened.
Güler was finally trusted to play a game for more than 70 minutes for just the second time in La Liga or the Champions League since the turn of the year. Those are not good numbers for a player who solves a lot of problems for this Real Madrid team in the buildup and beyond that, as Ancelotti correctly pointed out.
Güler was trusted in a deep-lying playmaker role. He has not played there many times this season, and it turned out to be a resounding success. Güler was absolutely great in the build-up phase and also scored the only goal in the match with a brilliant right-footed shot from the outside of the box.
Güler took 94 touches — his highest number in La Liga or Champions League — and was good all night. His influence waned in the second half, but not by a lot. He had two completed dribbles out of three attempts, passed the ball 68 times with a frankly low accuracy rate of just 81% (83 attempts, highest of the season), but did many other things right.
He controlled the tempo of the game, played long balls, and dropped deep to help the defenders out in possession. The Turk also defended well, as he had three tackles and interceptions — his second-highest mark all season. Güler’s progressive passing distance was the highest it has been all season, completing 234 yards.
Is he the solution to Real Madrid’s build-up issues? It is unlikely, although possible. However, it would not hurt to try him out a bit more to close the season. He has shown flashes of brilliance in every game, and this one was by far his longest and best performance of the season in a new position. Ancelotti has to try to play him more.
Jude Bellingham’s shoulder
Just get it operated on, man.
Bellingham, while he was preparing to come on against Getafe on Wednesday, was seen getting a thick, heavy strapping all over his shoulder. It took ages, and it looked uncomfortable.
He has had these problems since the end of his time at Borussia Dortmund, and he has been playing with an injured shoulder for as long as one can remember.
It looked uncomfortable, it is actually crazy how the guy plays with it for 90 minutes, while also covering the most ground out of anyone on the team not named Fede Valverde.
It is tough to see. It is really tough. How long can Real Madrid and Bellingham go without operating on it? It seems to be inevitable. Is it not better if Real Madrid get it done for good, even if he has to sit for a few months?
I’d rather Bellingham missed the Club World Cup and the start of the next season to be fully fit and comfortable than play in pain for two months.
Aurelien Tchouameni, a great pivot in 2025
Tchouameni has been great since the turn of the year. He is putting together a good catalog of performances for 2025, and some of them have been the best he has ever looked in a Real Madrid shirt.
This was not quite at that level, but even then, it was pretty good. Tchouameni played two positions, and looked confident in both.
That is the thing with him — confidence, and right now, he has a lot of it. Tchouameni had six clearances, two interceptions, three blocks, and won five of his seven aerial duels against Getafe.
He passed the ball around well, completing 64 of his 69 passes, while also completing three of his four long ball attempts.
It was just solid from Tchouameni. It is what Real Madrid want him to provide week in week out, and what we saw against Getafe is nothing new, but it is refreshing to see the Frenchman play at a high level for a consistent period of time.
Onto Barcelona next.
