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| Sergio Ramos and +Cristiano Ronaldo combined for all four goals in a 4-0 drubbing of Bayern Munich Tuesday. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) |
After +Real Madrid C.F. finished off its 5-0 aggregate drubbing of Bayern Munich in the +UEFA Champions League semifinals, Carlo Ancelotti called his team’s performance “perfect,” and it’s difficult to argue otherwise. Real Madrid tweaked its usual system against Bayern Munich, stifling Pep Guardiola’s powerhouse en route to the final.
Like most teams around the world, Real usually employs a variation on the 4-3-3 formation, but Ancelotti switched to a 4-4-2 in both games against Bayern. The 4-4-2 makes defending easier because it allows a team to hold two blocks of four defenders.
Real’s game consisted of patient defending and sealing off the middle, leaving space on the wings for Bayern to try to penetrate.
When Madrid won the ball, it went forward at pace with its athletic attackers.
Bayern couldn't muster much of a response, resigning itself to the wing play Real allowed and pumping balls into the box repeatedly, only to be rebuked by Pepe and +Sergio Ramos. The biggest talking point statistically was where Guardiola’s teams dominate: possession.
Although Bayern held the ball for over 60 percent of the time over both matches, Madrid recorded an astounding victory.
Bayern couldn't muster much of a response, resigning itself to the wing play Real allowed and pumping balls into the box repeatedly, only to be rebuked by Pepe and +Sergio Ramos. The biggest talking point statistically was where Guardiola’s teams dominate: possession.
Although Bayern held the ball for over 60 percent of the time over both matches, Madrid recorded an astounding victory.
