The summer signing of Kylian Mbappé was supposed to usher in a flawless new "Galácticos" era for Real Madrid. Instead, a few months into the 2024/25 season, manager Carlo Ancelotti is grappling with a classic football dilemma: how to fit multiple world-class, left-leaning attackers into one cohesive starting eleven without breaking the team's defensive balance.
While Los Blancos remain formidable, their on-pitch chemistry has looked surprisingly disjointed. Here is the real reason behind Real Madrid’s tactical puzzle and how they plan to solve it.
The Toni Kroos Void
While much of the media focus has been on Mbappé's integration, the underlying issue stems from an exit rather than an arrival. The retirement of midfield maestro Toni Kroos left a massive creative void.
Without Kroos’s unique ability to dictate the tempo and switch play, Real Madrid's transition from defense to attack has looked sluggish. The current midfield—while physical and dynamic with players like Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Eduardo Camavinga—lacks that deep-lying playmaker who can calm the game down and find attackers in tight spaces.
Spatial Clash on the Left
The tactical friction becomes most obvious in the final third. Both Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior play their best football starting from the left flank and cutting inside.
With both superstars naturally drifting to the left, Real Madrid’s attack has frequently become unbalanced and predictable. This congestion has occasionally isolated Jude Bellingham, who is playing a deeper, more sacrificial role this season compared to his high-scoring campaign last year.
- Left-side congestion: Vinícius, Mbappé, and Rodrygo all prefer the left or central-left channels.
- Lack of width: The right flank is often left under-utilized, making it easier for opposing low-block defenses to shift and crowd out Madrid's stars.
How Ancelotti Plans to Fix It
Ancelotti is widely regarded as one of the best man-managers in football history, famous for adapting his systems to fit his players rather than forcing players into rigid systems.
To restore balance, Ancelotti has been experimenting with a fluid 4-3-3 that morphs into a 4-4-2 out of possession. The key lies in dynamic rotation. When Vinícius drifts wide, Mbappé must occupy the central space as a true striker. When Mbappé drifts left, Vinícius must rotate centrally.
With a grueling schedule across La Liga and the Champions League, finding this equilibrium quickly is crucial. If Ancelotti can get his superstars to share the space, Real Madrid will inevitably become the unstoppable force everyone expected.
