Leipzig matched Madrid for 44 minutes. Then Bernardo Silva, Güler, Mbappé and the substitute Diomande made it 4–1.
The numbers
| Real Madrid | RB Leipzig | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 64% | 36% |
| Shots | 18 | 11 |
| xG | 3.09 | 1.49 |
| Touches in opp. box | 37 | 28 |
Result the chances deserved: Real Madrid 69% / 15% / RB Leipzig 16% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois, Valverde, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Carreras, Bernardo Silva, Camavinga, Güler, Bellingham, Vinícius Jr, Mbappé.
RB Leipzig (4-2-3-1): Vandevoordt, Baku, Orbán, Lukeba, Raum, Seiwald, El Aynaoui, Gruda, Nkunku, Nusa, Rômulo.
RB Leipzig subs: Maksimović & Reitz (63', for Gruda & El Aynaoui), Finkgräfe & Gomis (73', Nusa & Raum), Baumgartner (78', Nkunku). Leipzig coach: Martín Demichelis. Baumgartner was back in a matchday squad for the first time in four months (Bundesliga).
Goal minutes, subs and line-ups from FotMob; Bundesliga.com and VAVEL agree, except that VAVEL has Bernardo Silva's goal at 43'. Booked: Carreras (68'), Reitz (73' in FotMob, 70' in VAVEL, for a foul on Camavinga). UEFA named Mbappé player of the match; FotMob's top-rated player was Güler (8.7). Attendance 73,016 (FotMob).
Key moments, move by move
- Valverde, up from right-back, cuts the ball back.
- Güler hits a low shot from inside the box.
- Vandevoordt parries it but cannot clear it.
- Bernardo Silva is first to the rebound and pokes it in.
- Bellingham crosses from the left towards the far post.
- Mbappé heads it back across goal.
- Güler gets there first and pokes it over the line, just before Raum can clear.
- Diomande, on for Vinícius, plays Mbappé in on the edge of the box.
- Mbappé sets himself for a right-footed shot.
- He curls it into the far corner past Vandevoordt.
- Baumgartner turns past Huijsen in midfield.
- He threads a pass into the box for Gomis.
- Courtois comes off his line and Gomis finishes low into the corner.
- Brahim, on at 78', chips a cross into the box.
- Diomande meets it first time at the near post.
- His right-footed volley flies into the top corner.
Five changes, two passers in the pivot and a bench that won the last ten minutes
- Five new starters: Rüdiger, Carreras, Camavinga, Bernardo Silva and Vinícius came in after the Sevilla win (Bundesliga). Valverde stayed at right-back, Güler moved from the double pivot to the right of the attacking three, and Bernardo Silva and Camavinga formed the pivot (FotMob). Konaté, Tchouaméni and Alexander-Arnold were unused, four days before the Clásico.
- Leipzig's first half: Demichelis's side started the brighter, pressed high and matched Madrid for long periods (Bundesliga). Courtois saved from Rômulo and then one-on-one from Nkunku at 41' (Real Madrid, UEFA). Mourinho said the 4–1 "doesn't reflect the first half" (Yahoo Sports).
- Passers deep, the right side up: the opener came from Valverde's cut-back and Güler's shot, and Bernardo Silva scored the rebound (Real Madrid). Mourinho said that with Bernardo or Güler in midfield, Madrid "can play out more effectively". Madrid had 64% of the ball, 18 shots to 11 and 3.09 xG to 1.49 (FotMob).
- The bench decided it: Diomande came on for Vinícius at 70', laid on Mbappé's 83' goal and volleyed in Brahim's cross at 87' (FotMob). In between, Baumgartner turned Huijsen and Gomis scored. Leipzig had 28 touches in Madrid's box on 36% of the ball (FotMob): they got in more often than the scoreline says.
Tactical scenes
Leipzig had far less of the ball but kept getting into Madrid's box. Demichelis's side pressed high early (Bundesliga). Rômulo forced a save at 27' and Nkunku was through one-on-one at 41' (VAVEL, Real Madrid, UEFA). Late on, Baumgartner turned Huijsen in midfield and Gomis scored (Bundesliga).
Evidence: Leipzig had 28 touches in Madrid's box on 36% possession, against Madrid's 37 on 64%, and made 1.49 xG from 11 shots (FotMob). UEFA credits Courtois with two brilliant first-half saves. FotMob match page · UEFA: Matchday 3 Wednesday round-up · Bundesliga: RB Leipzig match report
Recreate it in FM26
Real Madrid · Mourinho's two-passer pivot against Leipzig · 4-2-3-1Show cardHide card
Mourinho's two-passer pivot against Leipzig
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Courtois | Goalkeeper | Line-Holding Keeper |
| RB | Valverde | Wing-Back | Full-Back |
| RCB | Rüdiger | Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LCB | Huijsen | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LB | Carreras | Full-Back | Full-Back |
| RDM | Bernardo Silva | Deep-Lying Playmaker | Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Camavinga | Box-to-Box Midfielder | Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Güler | Wide Playmaker | Tracking Winger |
| AM | Bellingham | Attacking Midfielder | Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Vinícius Jr | Winger | Tracking Winger |
| ST | Mbappé | Channel Forward | Central Outlet Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Passing DirectnessShorter
- Build-Up StrategyPlay Through Press
- PatienceWork Ball Into Box
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementMid Block
- Trigger PressLess Often
- Defensive TransitionRegroup
The idea: A 4-2-3-1 with two passers in the pivot, a Deep-Lying Playmaker beside a Box-to-Box Midfielder, a Wide Playmaker on the right and a Channel Forward. It needs a full-back who arrives for cut-backs and a direct winger kept fresh on the bench.
What FM26 can't copy: FM26 can't plan the 70' change that won the last ten minutes, or rest players for a Clásico four days later.
Our reading of this match in FM26 terms, not an exported tactic file. Role names as in FM26.
What if? Replay it with a different plan
Our best alternative plan: Diomande on at 60' (for Vinícius), not 70', Tchouaméni on at 75' (for Camavinga). Keep the passing pivot that made 3.09 xG, bring Diomande on earlier and close the game with Tchouaméni. Madrid still win; Leipzig's late goal becomes less likely. It moves Real Madrid's win chance from 69% to 75% (xG 3.09–1.49 becomes 3.29–1.34). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer Real Madrid needed
Aurélien Tchouaméni
Rested with the Clásico in mind. Leipzig's goal came from Baumgartner turning Huijsen in midfield, and Nkunku got through one-on-one before half-time. A screening midfielder for the last 20 minutes closes the gap between the passers and the back four.
Kim Min-jae
Leipzig's best chances came from quick passes past Madrid's midfield into one-on-ones. A centre-back who steps out to intercept before the turn, and has the pace to recover when he doesn't, meets Baumgartner's turn and Nkunku's run earlier.
What the analysts said
“It wasn't an easy match, and the 4-1 scoreline doesn't reflect the first half.”José Mourinho, post-match press conference (via Yahoo Sports)
“When the team has a player like him or Güler in midfield, we can play out more effectively”José Mourinho, on Bernardo Silva (via Yahoo Sports)
“The goal we conceded today came from a situation in which the opponent was comfortable, and I don't like that.”José Mourinho (via Yahoo Sports)
“People always expect more from Vini, for him to be decisive, but I liked his performance.”José Mourinho, as reported by MARCA (via LiveScore)
“I stole the goal from Mbappe, but that's because I knew he'd score another one. So, no problem.”Arda Güler, to Real Madrid TV (via Yahoo Sports)
Leipzig matched Madrid for 44 minutes, and the bench won the last ten.
What's happening. Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4–1 for three Champions League wins from three. Mourinho made five changes with the Clásico four days away. It was 0–0 until the 44th minute, and Diomande, on at 70', had a hand in two of the last three goals. Madrid have nine points.
How it works. Two passers in the double pivot, Bernardo Silva and Camavinga, and a right side built on Valverde and Güler. Passers deep let a side keep the ball against a press: Madrid had almost two-thirds of it. The cost showed when Leipzig won it back. Their runners got in behind, and Courtois had to make two big saves. A fresh, direct winger late on is the other half of the plan: tired defenders must face him one-on-one.
What the shots say. FotMob gives Madrid about three goals' worth of chances and Leipzig about one and a half. That is Madrid's best figure since Elche in September. One reading: the passing midfield creates more than the direct version did in the derby and in Rome. The other: Leipzig got into Madrid's box 28 times on just over a third of the ball, and Barcelona's forwards finish better.