Why Real Madrid's Tactics Fail?

Real Madrid Advances with Concerns

Real Madrid advances, with Manchester City or Sporting as their next opponents. However, the performance against Benfica raised serious concerns. Once again, their best player was the goalkeeper, making crucial saves as Benfica had the upper hand in expected goals. Benfica, while not a current European powerhouse, competed strongly and even took the lead before a basic error allowed Real Madrid back into the game. This settled the restless crowd. The match remained on a knife-edge until late.

A Performance That Lacks Conviction

Beyond La Liga's title race, there is little evidence from this display to suggest Real Madrid can challenge for this competition. When facing a truly solid, in-form elite side—like Bayern Munich, PSG, Arsenal, or even Barcelona—they are likely to be exposed. They are not playing well, giving away many chances, and relying on moments of magic: a breakaway for one goal and an opponent's mistake for another. It is not about team performance but seizing sporadic opportunities.

Mixed Feelings for the Faithful

For fans leaving the Santiago Bernabéu, the feeling is mixed: encouraged by progression but discouraged by the performance, which is part of a season-long pattern. Today was about survival. Real Madrid seemed in trouble against Benfica, needing moments of brilliance to survive a scary stage they entered by conceding late goals previously. Given injuries, absences, and historical context, advancement is a relief, but it does not solve the core issues.

A Pattern of Inconsistency

This performance mirrors their weekend match against Osasuna and their season-long inconsistency. When will they get significantly and consistently better? The answer is unknown. Paradoxically, the team has looked worse when all players are healthy. This is not a team to bank on winning this competition. Any attack can penetrate this defense. Defensive errors are continual. Against a proper side, Real Madrid risk being destroyed.

Defensive and Midfield Fragility

We learned nothing positive, especially from the defense, which was fragile. Communication and coverage were poor. In midfield, despite having fantastic individual players, they did not support the defense effectively. Fortunately, the world's best goalkeeper made two or three vital saves to secure passage. There is no consistent buildup play. For about 80 minutes, Benfica was the better team. While they advance and can breathe, a bet against Real Madrid winning the Champions League seems safe.

Questioning Managerial Impact

What has changed under the new manager? Vinícius Júnior has improved. Some players seem happier, and results have mostly gone their way in La Liga, where they are in a title race—they may scrape it there depending on Barcelona. But they will not scrape through the Champions League playing like this. Behind-the-scenes morale may be better, but on-field performance is not markedly different from the previous manager's tenure. It remains the same bland football, being outplayed by mediocre teams, and relying on individual special moments from Mbappé, Vinícius, or others. We have not seen a significant tactical effect from the new manager. The result is what they will highlight, but it is still disappointing to watch.

A Worrying Comparison

Considering potential opponents like Manchester City, recall their match in December. City won 2-1 at the Bernabéu. The talking point was Real Madrid's hard work in the second half, but what is the difference now? It is very difficult to pinpoint much. Arguably, they were better against Manchester City then than they were today against Benfica. The current team's defending, particularly in one instance, was an insult to the concept.

Tactical Theory vs. Reality

Tactically, the manager's idea of using a proper right-back to free another player into midfield should, on paper, create a better structure. However, in practice, when losing the ball, positional discipline collapses, as seen in Benfica's goal, leaving no defensive presence in the middle. They are no better now than before.

Unchanged Core Dynamics

The core dynamics remain: Is Vinícius happy? Yes, and he is impactful, especially without Mbappé. Do they still depend on Mbappé for goals? Yes. Do they depend on their goalkeeper for saves? Yes. Nothing has changed; there is no improvement. They were better against Manchester City months ago than today and will need to be significantly better to advance further.

The Verdict on Future Prospects

If facing Manchester City, who would win? Manchester City, while not at their peak, is getting better and more stabilized. The choice would be Manchester City.