Analysis: Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane set his Real side up in a 4-4-2 diamond formation, with the defensively minded Casemiro at the base and full-backs Marcelo and Nacho encouraged to push forward in wide areas.

The team looked to press the man in possession early and prevent the PSG front line from finding opportunities to link up with one another. Casemiro’s position should have allowed him to support his defence when the first lines were penetrated, but his deep starting position often saw him arrive late to the areas where the ball was played. With the visitors allowed too much space in midfield, the Real back line was often exposed and unable to properly neutralise the strong attacking threat of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in wide areas. It was this movement, creating and taking advantage of the spaces in between the Real midfield and defence, that led to the PSG goal. It wasn’t until late in the second half, after Casemiro was replaced and Real reverted to two banks of four, that the home side looked more comfortable in defence.

In attack, also, Real looked more effective after reverting to a flat midfield four, with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric – who started the game to the left and right of the diamond – in more central areas and Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez out wide. They looked to get at the PSG defence on the flanks throughout the game, however – particularly on their left, where eventual goalscorer Marcelo and Isco (later Asensio) could outnumber their rivals and look to unsettle a fragile visiting back line with early balls in towards Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo. This is exactly how the second goal, scored by Ronaldo, came about.