The Madrid of the 'shorts' loses the victory after the last red-and-white flight: "If they are taller it is easier to win an aerial duel"
The social media world went into a frenzy when Real Madrid made the surprising decision to close the roof of the Santiago Bernabéu for their fourth derby match of the season against Atlético de Madrid. This decision caused quite a stir, especially considering that Real Madrid had lost two out of the previous three derbies. However, the focus of the match was not on the roof, but rather on the height of the players. Real Madrid had a relatively short defensive line, with an average height of just 175 centimeters. The center backs, Nacho and Carvajal, were only 180 and 173 centimeters tall, respectively. “We lacked height, and we had to suffer because of it,” commented coach Carlo Ancelotti.
If we take a closer look at the rest of the Real Madrid team, only Bellingham stands out with his height of 1.86 meters. Additionally, Vinicius was injured in the warm-up, further adding to Real Madrid’s height disadvantage. As a result, Ancelotti decided to bring on Brahim instead of altering their defensive system. However, Brahim also faced a setback, as he suffered a cervical problem that prevented him from starting the match. Despite this, he almost made everyone forget about Vinicius with his performance, but Llorente’s last-minute header secured the victory for Atlético de Madrid.
In a match where Real Madrid focused on playing the ball on the ground, Atlético de Madrid capitalized on their aerial advantage. Every dead ball situation was a nightmare for the Real Madrid defense, facing the towering figures of players like Savic (187cm), Witsel (186cm), Hermoso (184cm), and Morata (1.90m). Up to three crosses from the wings were successfully headed into the net by Savic, Witsel, and Saúl, leaving goalkeeper Lunin helpless.
Controversies and missed opportunities peppered the match, with Saúl having a goal disallowed for offside and a potential penalty claim for Real Madrid denied. Despite the intense pressure from Atlético, Ancelotti made a questionable decision by substituting Brahim, who had been performing exceptionally well. The match ended in a draw, with both coaches expressing their satisfaction with the result, although Ancelotti believed his team deserved to win. The rivalry between the two coaches remains balanced, with each having nine victories and six draws against the other. Real Madrid aimed to close the gap with Atlético in the LaLiga race, but ultimately settled for a hard-fought point in this high-profile derby. Ancelotti now looks ahead to the next match as an opportunity to make significant progress towards the trophy.