Five changes, three goals in 11 minutes: Real Madrid had beaten promoted Málaga CF by the half-hour, led by a Bellingham freed from defensive duty.
The numbers
| Real Madrid | Málaga CF | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 56% | 44% |
| Shots | 19 | 14 |
| xG | 2.62 | 0.71 |
| Touches in opp. box | 44 | 14 |
| Big chances | 4 | 0 |
Result the chances deserved: Real Madrid 78% / 14% / Málaga CF 8% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois, Alexander-Arnold, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Cucurella, Valverde, Camavinga, Brahim Díaz, Bellingham, Vinícius Jr, Mbappé.
Málaga CF (4-1-4-1): Herrero, Puga, Recio, Galilea, Rafita, Merino, Larrubia, Rafa Rodríguez, Dotor, Joaquín Muñoz, Chupe.
Málaga CF subs: Juan Cruz (61', Joaquín Muñoz), Haitam Abaida (74') and one more change at 87' (TNT Sports; its list of who went off does not match FotMob's line-up, so we leave those names out). Málaga manager: Juan Francisco Funes. Madrid made five changes from the Real Sociedad game: Alexander-Arnold, Rüdiger, Cucurella, Camavinga and Brahim Díaz started. The referee gave Málaga a penalty for handball by Diomande at 85', then overturned it after checking the monitor. One report (101 Great Goals) puts Mbappé's goal at 42'; FotMob, TNT and Real Madrid have 30'. Güler's goal is 90+1' on FotMob and 90+3' in Real Madrid's report. Shapes as listed by FotMob; big chances from SI.
Key moments, move by move
- Bellingham wins the ball back in the Málaga CF half and holds off Recio.
- He runs diagonally across the back line, past Recio and Galilea.
- He slides the finish through Herrero's legs.
- Brahim Díaz drives forward and slips the ball to Mbappé in the Málaga CF box.
- Mbappé spins and shoots; Herrero saves.
- The ball bounces up and Bellingham heads it towards goal.
- Puga slides in on the line, but the ball comes off Herrero and goes in.
- Alexander-Arnold bursts forward down the right against the Málaga CF left-back.
- He crosses first time into the box.
- Mbappé meets it first time with the inside of his right foot and finishes into the corner.
- Real Madrid break in stoppage time and Vinícius carries the ball down the left.
- He plays a one-two with Güler, on for four minutes, and reaches the byline.
- Vinícius cuts it back and Güler sweeps it in from close range.
Bellingham no longer defends as a second left-back
- The change: Mourinho said he reorganised the team so that Bellingham would no longer defend as a second left-back. Freed to stay higher, he won the ball in the Málaga CF half and scored the opener, then headed the ball that went in off Herrero for the second.
- Width from the right-back: Alexander-Arnold, starting for Dumfries, produced the assist for Mbappé with a first-time cross, plus shots and a sliding tackle (SI). Brahim Díaz was busy on the right but did not stand out.
- Rotation that worked: five changes from the Real Sociedad game. Camavinga was one of Real Madrid's best players, and Mourinho singled him out afterwards. Cucurella won five of seven duels (SI).
- A loose last 20 minutes: Mourinho admitted his team lost some organisation at 3–0. Málaga CF finished with 14 shots, but they added up to only 0.71 xG. Rafa Rodríguez hit the post before half-time, and a late penalty for Málaga was overturned after the referee checked the monitor.
Recreate it in FM26
Bellingham stays high: a 4-4-1-1 without the ball
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Courtois | Goalkeeper | Line-Holding Keeper |
| RB | Alexander-Arnold | Wing-Back | Full-Back |
| RCB | Rüdiger | Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LCB | Huijsen | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LB | Cucurella | Full-Back | Pressing Full-Back |
| RDM | Valverde | Deep-Lying Playmaker | Screening Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Camavinga | Defensive Midfielder | Pressing Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Brahim Díaz | Inside Winger | Tracking Winger |
| AM | Bellingham | Attacking Midfielder | Central Outlet Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Vinícius Jr | Winger | Tracking Winger |
| ST | Mbappé | Centre Forward | Central Outlet Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Passing DirectnessBalanced
- Attacking WidthWider
- Crossing StyleLow Crosses
- DribblingEncouraged
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementHigh Press
- Trigger PressMore Often
- Defensive TransitionCounter-Press
- TacklingAggressive
The idea: Without the ball Bellingham stays next to Mbappé and Vinícius tracks back to the left, so Bellingham can press high and break forward when the ball is won. You need a No. 10 with the stamina and strength to win it back high up, and a left winger willing to defend.
What FM26 can't copy: This worked against a promoted side with 0.71 xG; FM26 won't warn you that the left side is thin against better wingers.
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: Güler on at 65' not 87' (for Brahim Díaz). Change little: bring Güler on earlier for Brahim Díaz to keep the ball better when the game opened up. At 3–0 after 30 minutes, the plan hardly needed fixing. It moves Real Madrid's win chance from 78% to 80% (xG 2.62–0.71 becomes 2.72–0.71). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer Real Madrid needed
Arda Güler
Güler scored within four minutes of coming on. He had been Real Madrid's most creative player in the first two games. In the last 20 minutes, when Madrid lost their shape, his passing would have helped them keep the ball instead of trading attacks with Málaga CF.
Declan Rice
The only problem in this game came after 3–0, when Mourinho said Real Madrid lost organisation and Málaga CF got up to 14 shots. Rice covers the space in front of the back four and sets the rhythm of a game that is already won. He also lets Camavinga and Valverde carry the ball forward without leaving gaps behind them.
What the analysts said
“Bellingham is very demanding with himself and with others. This is something I like very much.”José Mourinho (realmadrid.com)
“Today, Camavinga, a boy who isn't very loved, played a great match.”José Mourinho (realmadrid.com)
“You feel that if you breathe on Real Madrid's players a foul is awarded, but as for us, no foul is awarded unless there is blood.”Juan Francisco Funes, Málaga manager (Goal)
“It doesn't deserve a comment.”José Mourinho, on Funes's complaint (Goal)
Moving Bellingham up the pitch was the most important change of the week.
Real Madrid were 3–0 up after 30 minutes against a Málaga CF side back in the top flight after eight years, with five changes to the starting line-up. The xG finished 2.62 to 0.71 (FotMob), big chances 4 to 0 (SI). That is the result you would expect, so the interesting part is how it happened.
Mourinho explained it after the game: he had changed the defensive plan so that Bellingham no longer tracked back as a second left-back. The effect was clear. Bellingham won the ball in Málaga CF's half and scored the opener himself, then headed the ball that went in off Herrero for the second. Staying higher is what Mourinho meant when he said at RCD Espanyol that Bellingham needs to play close to goal.
Someone still has to cover that left side. Here it was Vinícius, who worked back more and set up the fourth goal, with Cucurella winning most of his duels. Málaga CF were too weak to test the arrangement. The real test comes against a side that attacks down Real Madrid's left on purpose.