Real Madrid: 3 takeaways from a 1-0 win over Inter

Real Madrid flipped the switch in the second half

As I said in the last slide, Real Madrid’s press was a lot better in the second half, as was the overall performance. The press was a lot more uniform and consistent. This time around, it was Real’s press suffocating Inter to an extent. The Italians were tired and had to succumb to the pressure executed by Los Blancos. Fede Valverde led the press fantastically, and he had a pretty good second half. Yes, he did a few things wrong but he made up for those mistakes. His recovery in a lot of sequences was fantastic, and that’s what helped Real a lot in winning back possession. Also, Real’s passing was better and more precise.

Real Madrid’s defenders had a much better game in the second half. They started winning more and more aerial duels and made some crucial clearances. Real Madrid held the majority of possession and even though Inter had a worse half, they still defended well and it was hard to break it down.

Vinicius Jr had a far better second half as he was involved a bit more. He was probably Real Madrid’s most dangerous player in the offense overall, and the fact that he was rarely seen in the first half says a lot.

What matters, in the end, is that Real Madrid collect the three points, which they did against a great opposition on tough ground. That being said, they must make sure that they start the game strongly, because Inter missed a lot of chances. A stronger opposition would’ve definitely scored in the first half.

Real would have to fix this, since it’s been a constant this season. If you look at Real’s last game, they were trailing 2-1 at half-time. So, yes, although there are positives, there are also things that require immediate attention.