Real Madrid play Roma in the Champions League for the second game of their campaign, and a lot will depend on some of the tactical changes Jose Mourinho makes for the clash.
It will be very difficult to see this Real Madrid team win against a team like Roma if they play the way they played against Villarreal.
A lot of things will need to change, from personnel to the way some of these players played, to some of the tactical decisions Jose Mourinho made for the game.
There are things Mourinho needs to figure out if he wants to beat his former team in one of Real Madrid’s tougher games in the league phase of the Champions League this season.
Here are three keys to victory for the game against Roma on Wednesday.
Bernardo Silva must start and act as Real Madrid’s linking pin in midfield
Despite having a strong start to his Real Madrid career in his first few games, Silva has been surprisingly phased out of the starting XI ever since Aurelien Tchouameni returned to the squad. It is clear that the player was Real Madrid’s best deep midfielder in the first few games, but only came on off the bench against Atletico, before staying there against Villarreal.
Real Madrid need a lot of movement in their stagnated midfield against Roma, and if they want to change that, Mourinho must start Silva in the game against Roma. He must profile Silva to act as a linking pin between the defense and attack, as his link-up play and continued off-ball movement is something Real Madrid’s midfield has sorely lacked in the games he has not played.
Fede Valverde must start as a winger, not a midfielder
Valverde’s best performance of the season – by far – came against Villarreal in the second half. He played decent football in the first half, but as soon as he was switched to the right flank – both as a full-back and as a winger, he played much better.
He looked more direct, stronger in his duels and his synergy with Trent Alexander-Arnold was good for those few minutes. Even last season, it worked quite well on that side, and that is what Real Madrid should do against Roma on Wednesday. Valverde’s directness and defensive workrate will be great for Trent to have in defense.
Real Madrid need Ibrahima Konate at his best against Roma
Konate will be a huge factor in Real Madrid’s match against Roma because of what he provides to the team in terms of his profile and build. He is a tall, strong and athletic central defender who is far more intelligent than he gets credit for, and he will be crucial in Real Madrid’s bid to stop Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala.
Real Madrid need his physicality and speed to come through against a striker as good as Malen, and it will be really important for Mourinho to profile him perfectly on the night.
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