Real Madrid bounced back from a difficult stretch of games by defeating Osasuna 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday evening. Before the game, Carlo Ancelotti had promised he’d found a solution to their woes, and after the final whistle, most Madrid fans would believe he had indeed delivered.
Jude Bellingham was back on the scoresheet, Vinicius scored a hattrick and the defense, although broken and bruised, did not concede a single goal.
One thing was missing, however: Kylian Mbappe’s name among the goal scorers. It wasn’t entirely surprising, as the Frenchman hasn’t found the back of the net in over five games. But there was a noticeable difference in how Mbappe—and perhaps more so, those around him—were playing.
Vinicius, or even Bellingham, who had spent a lot of their time in attack trying to link up with Mbappe in the first few games this season, were playing with more creative freedom, which allowed them to do what they did best in 23/24 — combine for goals and assists.
Even Brahim Diaz, who came on as a replacement for the injured Rodrygo, seemed to find Vinicius a lot more easily than Mbappe.
The solution Ancelotti referred to wasn’t about ignoring Mbappe on the field, but rather treating him as the position he was assigned to play—striker.
Mbappe is going through a rough patch, but there is little doubt within the Real Madrid camp that he will soon be back to his very best. And when the 25-year-old does get going, Europe’s defenses will have a hard time in containing him.
Although playing as striker isn’t his favorite thing in the world, Mbappe has played in that role before at PSG, especially after Lionel Messi’s arrival in 2022 forced him to play centrally between the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and Neymar.
In fact, according to Transfermarkt, Mbappe has played as a center-forward more times than he has in any other position. In 243 games as a CF, he has scored 197 times — a record better than what some good strikers in the world have achieved in their careers.
7️⃣🤝5️⃣🤝9️⃣#RealMadridOsasuna pic.twitter.com/4mJiYhi4IM
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 9, 2024
So, for Mbappe, it is only a matter of getting used to the system Ancelotti uses at Real Madrid, which in almost all honesty, relies on the brilliance of individual talents over a ‘tactical system’.
Even after the match on Saturday, Ancelotti refused to give up on his star forward, insisting that it was only a matter of time until he got back to doing what he does best: scoring goals.
Real Madrid played arguably their best football of the season against Osasuna. It wasn’t just the crowd singing ‘Hey Jude’ after Bellingham’s goal or Vinicius’ magic—it was the overall quality of football on display.
One major change that helped Ancelotti’s men was Fran Garcia. The Spanish left-back provided a much needed attacking impetus on the left-wing, which greatly aided Vinicius, allowing him more freedom.
🫲🫱 @BellinghamJude:
“It was our most complete performance.”#RealMadridOsasuna pic.twitter.com/UXvdf2HFHT— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 9, 2024
While Garcia could improve his crossing and output, he certainly poses a forward threat—something Mendy lacks—which is crucial in the modern game.
Bellingham played in his preferred role as a central midfielder with the freedom to attack without needing to cover for those behind him. This approach opened up Madrid’s midfield, allowing for smoother transitions that helped the defense by limiting Osasuna’s counterattacking opportunities
