What We Learned From Real Madrid’s 1 – 0 Win Over Athletic Club

Four numbers, in particular.

Four numbers that jumped out from my notebook following Sunday night’s win, albeit against a very non-urgent, watered-down Athletic side:

4-4-2

Is the 4-4-2 the way to go?

Real Madrid generated 22 shots and an xG of 2.41 — their highest mark since January 19. It may not be much, and standards might be low — but Sunday night’s performance against Athletic felt much more like Real Madrid of 2023 – 2024. It was Vinicius’s best game in a while.

Why did it take so long to bust out last season’s two-up-top with Jude Bellingham behind the two attackers? The answer (Kylian Mbappe), is obvious, but the answer is also head-scratching. Could Mbappe not also thrive in this same system?

I brought this up with Matt Wiltse on the post-game podcast: All three of Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Mbappe struggle, to various degrees, when all three of them play together; but each one look better when it’s just two of them. Part of that is balance, more midfield support, and less redundant link-up with more defined attacking roles.

Rodrygo has been just as indispensable as Mbappe and Vinicius this season under Carlo Ancelotti’s eyes. It might be time to have that difficult conversation (better late than never): One of the three has to sit. Given the names on the back and their respective ceilings, it will likely have to be Rodrygo.

7

Fede Valverde slung seven shots on Sunday — nearly six higher than his season average of 1.35 per game. I have been advocating for a more unchained, offensive version of Valverde for months. He’s too good, too hard to stop when heading north-south, to not maximize more of that skillset.

Valverde fluctuated between right-back (as a starter) and right-midfield (after Lucas Vazquez’s entrance). He made it rain with some perfect long diagonals to Vinicius, and his overloads on the right were a huge part of the team’s offensive surge in the second half.

Underrated: Valverde is strong in the air. His strength and frame make him much harder to beat on the wing than Vazquez, who opposing wingers can post-up and hold the ball up effortlessly. Valverde leaps over and stands his ground.

The team is at its best when Valverde gets involved offensively — not just once or twice per game, but with higher usage as a wrecking-ball that can puncture lines from the right side.

I am desensitized to his belters. How is it possible that this is one of the best goals we’ve seen in the past couple years but just an average finish in his goal catalogue?

9

That is the number of tackles and interception that Aurelien Tchouameni had: Five tackles and four interceptions respectively. A reminder: The season Real Madrid signed Tchouameni, he led the Big Five leagues in tackles and interceptions. This is his bread and butter. Tchouameni also had the most aerials won: Six. He completed five of his seven long ball attempts.

Tchouameni has quietly put together a solid 2025 calendar year. After a rough first half of the season — with plenty of cameos out of position — the Frenchman bounced back and looked much better post-January. He’s been important shielding zone 14, recovering the ball in transition, and has improved under pressure.

He’s looked better in a double pivot than as the anchor. My theory: When there is less onus on him as the single pivot to single-handedly escape pressure and be the sole back-line shield, he thrives. The jury is still out, but when he slots next to a two-way midfielder beside him, he seems to feed off that help and elevate his own game.

Tchouameni put in some important challenges against Athletic, was a reliable counter-presser when the team lost the ball in midfield, and tracked defensively on both flanks.

6

That is the number on the back of Eduardo Camavinga’s shirt, highlighted as a standout because of his excellent two-way ability at left-back. It’s games like this the remind us of what Camavinga’s ceiling is as a primary ball-carrier down the wing who understands his assignment as an inverted left-back — one that can get in the left half-space and provide meaningful link-up alongside Vinicius high up the pitch.

It’s strange, but reality: Real Madrid’s two best full-backs (not counting the injured Dani Carvajal) are midfielders: Valverde and Camavinga. Is that their best position? No, but, it would be hyper-intriguing to see them as wing-backs in a hypothetical Xabi Alonso scheme.

Caveat (which applies to all the above points in the article): Athletic provided zero threat in transition and fielded plenty of B-team players. Next weekend, Real Madrid play Barcelona, and that non-existent wing-threat all of a sudden turns into Lamine Yamal. Camavinga won’t enjoy nearly as much comfort if he’s deployed there in the Copa del Rey final.

Still, it’s nice to see Camavinga playing like this — he’s such a headache to deal with for opponents when he plays at this level.

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