Real Madrid and Barça: Having the ball is not being right

There was a time in that there was a direct relationship between having the ball and succeeding. But it was in times of Guardiola. If there is something the last one showed Classic is that, to have the ball is not to be right, or at least now that Xavi and Iniesta They are gone. In the 2-0 between Madrid Y Barcelona in the Bernabéu with which the whites regained the lead to those of Quique Setién it did little good to have a 56% possession in front of 44% of those in Zidane. The whites only gave 490 passes against 643 of the Blaugrana, but the reality is that Madrid 12 times (five of them between the three clubs) and Barça half, six (four, yes, at the door).

The statistics provided by Opta indicate that the effectiveness of the two teams in the pass was very similar (83% Madrid, 85% Barça), but with an important difference, Zidane ordered a more vertical football in which attacked by band 65% while Barça only did 50% stuck to lime. Much of it was blamed for this Vinicius and the best game that the Brazilian has done since he arrived in Madrid. He did not stop trying. CHe completed 20 plays in the rival area, his record next to the game of Cup against Melilla at the Bernabéu. And another fact that clearly indicates that possession does not assure you of success: Madrid completed 44 good actions in the opposite area and Barça, 18.

Zidane had time to reflect on the rest interval he had between his successful first stage on the bench in Madrid, in which he won three Champions in a row and the double (League and Champions) in 16-17, something that did not occur in the entity 59 years ago. He thought it was difficult to improve so many successes with his return, but that there was only one way to do it, and that was Look for a more physical Madrid.

That is why he insisted so much on the signing of Pogba. That's why he wanted to sign Mendy. And so, when he saw that the directive did not bring him to Pogba, so decidedly committed to Valdeverde. To such an extent, that the couple Valverde-Casemiro is non-negotiable at this point and that are Kroos and Modric those who alternate the other position of trivot in the spinal cord The data also confirm this trend change in the Zidane's booklet. In his first two full seasons (the double and the next), the average possession in Liga of its Madrid was of 63% and 62% respectively. This season has dropped to 56%. The change in trend was more pronounced compared to the era Lopetegui, which abused possession without mordant. There were matches then with him 77% possession and average, with the now coach of Sevilla, he was in the 66%

A physical and direct football, open to the band, are the hallmarks of the new Madrid of Zidane. Or so the data says. In the last Carvajal Classic he created three occasions and Marcelo three others. In Barcelona, ​​Jordi Alba 1 and Semedo 1. Madrid has even abused centers in the area in more than one game, as against Celta (38), Athletic (37) or Real Sociedad in Copa (36). It did not help him that fast and direct way to play to win any of those three games (the three with more centers of the campaign), perhaps a forward is missing. But it is the nNew French stamp: high pressure, fast and direct game in search of spaces and much physical.