Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid in the summer had a massive impact. The French attacker had long been tipped to move to the Spanish capital.
The forward’s pace, dribbling and superb finishing ability make him a huge asset, but how will he fit in?
Real Madrid have been hugely successful in recent years. They are the reigning champions of Europe with Vinicius, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham carrying the brunt of the attacking burden last season. However, Kylian’s arrival put even more pressure on the opposition defenders.
- Real Madrid’s front three all favour drifting in from the left.
- Los Blancos have attempted the most dribbles in La Liga after two matches.
- Vinicius forced an average of 2.61 fouls per 90 minutes last season.
Odds courtesy of Stake. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Real Madrid Overload the Left Side
Since joining Real in the summer, Kylian Mbappe has started as Carl Ancelotti’s lone striker, supported on the flanks by Vinicius and Rodrygo. All three of them are right-footed and enjoy cutting in from the left. Even Rodrygo, who is tasked with providing the width from the right, has popped up on the left in Real’s opening two league matches.
If it’s a headache for Carlo Ancelotti and Real, it’s a fully-fledged migraine for opposition full-backs. This is where the betting angle comes in. Los Blancos have played three competitive fixtures so far this season, and the opposing right-sided defender has been booked in two of those matches.
Berat Djimitsi filled that role for Atalanta in the Super Cup and was booked, Pablo Maffeo played at right-back for Mallorca in Real’s first league game and was carded after making two fouls. Although Valladolid right-back, Luiz Perez, escaped a booking in their recent visit to the Bernabeu, he was forced to commit a foul.
Real Madrid face Las Palmas in their next match. Alex Suarez was their starting right-back in their recent 2-1 defeat against Leganes, but this cards trend is one to watch out for throughout this season.
Front Three Adept at Forcing Fouls
Vinicius is the leading contender for the Ballon d’Or and draws plenty of fouls on his own. The Brazilian winger was fouled 2.61 times per 90 minutes in La Liga this season. He ranks in the 93rd percentile for drawing fouls compared to all other forwards across Europe’s top five leagues in the last year.
Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo also drew plenty of fouls last season. At PSG, Mbappe was fouled an average of 1.58 times per 90 minutes during the Ligue 1 season. Rodrygo drew 1.74 fouls per 90 minutes. The three players are exceptional in tight spaces and seem set to cause chaos in La Liga in this campaign.
With so many talented, direct dribblers in their ranks, it will be no surprise to hear Real Madrid’s average of 15 dribbles per game this season is the highest in the Spanish top flight by some distance. Barcelona rank 2nd in this regard with an average of 11 per game.
This is a developing trend in Real Madrid’s matches but it could be one to keep looking out for throughout the campaign.
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