Champions League Performance Insights: How Real Madrid laid the platform for their dangerous transitions against Inter

With the speed and skills of their front four, Real Madrid are one of the world’s best teams when it comes to attacking transitions.

That was the prominent feature of their 2-1 victory over Inter this week. In a game in which they recorded their lowest share of possession (36%) in a UEFA Champions League home game this decade, they also posted the highest percentage of shots from inside the penalty box in the same period.

For UEFA's game insights unit, a notably intriguing aspect was their approach out of possession which provided the platform for their threat following regains – and particularly the attacking players' role.

It was an approach that can be broken down into three parts, which we explore using the videos below.

Collective high press

In the lead-up to Federico Valverde's 23rd-minute goal, Madrid went from defending zonally in a low block to pushing up the pitch, with their front players going aggressively man to man. The reward came as Valverde stepped up to press goalkeeper Josep Martínez, forcing the error.

According to Madrid coach José Mourinho, the goal did not happen by chance. He told Movistar+: "I want to give credit to my players because the pressure [is something] we trained – reading the triggers to press, how to press, where to press, which players to press. That is work and Valverde's goal is work."

Aggressive in a low block

The next sequence shows collective pressure which yields a counterattack. It is worth highlighting that when positioned in a low block, Madrid's wingers had a specific task that Mourinho elaborated on afterwards.

"To play against a team who play with three at the back and push up their full-backs as they do is not easy for the wingers," he said. “[Vinícius Júnior’s] work and the work of Brahim [Díaz] was very good, closing on the inside to let the full-backs press on the outside."

Maximising attacking threat

During the final 30 minutes, Madrid's attacking players were seen more often higher up the field, looking to exploit spaces on the counterattack. This is seen with the example of Vinícius Júnior's position in the above graphic as well as in the final video.

Madrid are not the only team to do this and UEFA's game insights unit noted that Paris Saint-Germain took a similar approach at Liverpool last season when, as Luis Enrique put it, "it means at any moment we can have a counterattack and kill off the game".

Leaving attackers upfield is a question of risk versus reward and the video shows the benefits as Madrid break with a 4v3 in Inter's half.

Coaching reflection: Preparing for a menace like Madrid's

For coaches facing a team with a strong counterattacking threat, what approach should they take? UEFA Technical Observer Ole Gunnar Solskjær makes the following suggestions:

• Good rest defence and reaction; being prepared in advance for those turnovers in every phase and context.

• Keep the ball, processing play from side to side and around your opponents. Avoid taking risks too early, be it through a congested middle or close to your own goal.