Real Madrid News
The attacking stat that should concern Real Madrid this season
After a disappointing defeat to Real Betis, Real Madrid returned to winning ways on Tuesday night, following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Inter Milan.
It was a tense game for Los Blancos, who had to hold on to their slender advantage in the last stretch of the game and were unable to score more goals after an early flurry that saw them gain a 2-0 advantage.
A worrying trend in front of goal
According to MARCA, Real Madrid lead all of Europe in big chances created with 27, but they also top a far less flattering chart, having squandered 19 of them.
That means Real Madrid are missing seven out of every ten clear opportunities they generate, the worst conversion rate on the continent.
Barcelona follow closely with the same number of chances created but a superior return, having wasted 15.
The issue has become a recurring theme in recent matches. Against Betis, Real Madrid dominated and accumulated three expected goals, including a penalty missed by Kylian Mbappe, yet still contrived to lose.
Against Inter, they again peppered the goal without the necessary precision to kill the game off.
Courtois to the rescue
The victory over Inter owed much to a superb performance from Thibaut Courtois, who produced several crucial saves to preserve the three points.
The two Real Madrid goals bore Mourinho’s trademark, both stemming from high pressing. Mbappe forced an error before finishing off Brahim Diaz’s assist, while Federico Valverde capitalised on hesitation from goalkeeper Josep Martinez.
However, having eased into a 2-0 lead, Real Madrid again passed up chance after chance, allowing Inter back into the contest through Lautaro Martinez’s late goal.
It must be noted Real Madrid had 35.6% possession against Inter ranking among the lowest recorded for the club in the Champions League.
For Mourinho, the ideal is clear: winning by finishing off the chances his side create. If Real Madrid can start converting at a rate befitting their creativity, they will become an even more fearsome proposition.
Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabeu are beginning to grow frustrated by the chances being missed – something that they made very clear during last night’s narrow 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
But, according to MARCA, there is no alarm or worry inside the locker room. Mourinho and his players believe they are creating enough opportunities and are confident the goals will come.
There is no sense of panic
Real Madrid have created 15 clear-cut chances across their last two matches against Inter and Real Betis, but have scored only twice.
That statistic may cause concern from the outside, but Mourinho and his players have a different interpretation. They believe the team is generating enough danger and, for that reason, see no need to change direction.
For Mourinho, creating chances is the foundation of the team’s attacking game.
Real Madrid are finding space through quick transitions, establishing themselves in the opposition half and regularly getting their forwards into dangerous positions.
From inside the club, therefore, the problem is viewed as one of finishing rather than attacking structure.
The team is producing enough opportunities to have scored considerably more goals, and there is complete confidence that the gap between chances created and goals scored will eventually narrow.
That is why the last two matches have not triggered any internal debate about changing the approach.
Instead, the message is to continue doing what is working, keep creating opportunities and become more effective in the final third.
Decision-making, accuracy and composure in front of goal are the areas where Real Madrid believe they need to take the next step.
No reason to change course
The report further claims that Mourinho also understands that finishing comes in cycles. Some matches see a team convert almost every opportunity it creates, while in others it takes a large number of chances to find the net.
Real Madrid are currently experiencing the latter, but the Portuguese coach believes the most important thing is to remain on the right side of the equation, where the opportunities are consistently being produced.
For the coaching staff, 15 clear chances in two matches is a positive sign, particularly for a team still learning some of the movements demanded by Mourinho’s new system.
Mourinho also does not want his players to lose confidence because of a temporary lack of efficiency. So, there is no major reason for worry in the locker room despite the growing frustration among fans.
