Merging all pieces so that everything works – sounds simple enough, right? But for coaches, especially at Real Madrid, it is anything but. The challenge is not only tactical; It is political, emotional and deeply bound to the club's galaxy.
In Madrid the bet is much higher. Various players wear the unspoken label of 'undisputed starters'. The problem is that there are just too many. At the front you have Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius and Jude Bellingham – Global icons, each of them expected to start. But they are not the only ones.
That logjam makes it incredibly difficult for someone else to break into the starting eleven – especially young talents such as recent arrival Claudio Echeverri Mastantuono. Take a look at what happened to Carlo Ancelotti: he practically sacrificed his term of office and tried to let Rodrygo fit alongside Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinícius. On paper it was a dream attack full of firepower. But in reality it threw the team out of balance …
4-3-3 with attacking Trident: the system that best fits the game of Mastantuono
Among Europe Elite Clubs, the 4-3-3 formation remains the Golden Standard. It offers the perfect mix of structure and attacking firepower – especially for teams with a front three that chooses itself. Real Madrid knows this formula well. During the era of the legendary BBC trio-cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, the 4-3-3 trophies and highlights in abundance.
But when Bale and Ronaldo left, the system became more fluid, with constant tweaks and experiments. Last season Ancelotti tried to breathe new life into Trident concept with Rodrygo, Mbappé and Vinicius – a trio that burst with pace and flair. On paper it looked electric. On the field it exposed a deeper problem: balance.
Changing Rodrygo for rising Argentinian star Mastantuono seems to be a simple one-for-one movement to retain the 4-3-3. But the underlying problem remains. Jude Bellingham, once a box-to-box midfielder, has evolved into more an attacking role. This shift makes it more difficult to maintain the stability of midfield when three attackers are already pushing high.
Yet the 4-3-3 is perhaps best with the skills of Mastantuono. On the river plate he has shown blister speed, fearless dribbling and a talent for the breaking of tailor-made defenses for a broad role in a dynamic front three.
4-4-2 with a midfield spivot: would forcing Mastantuono to work hard in the defense
Shifting to a double-pivot midfield, Real Madrid can give the defensive stability and the balance that it longs for it costs a cost. To make it work, the team should be changed to a 4-4-2 formation again, a setup that a sacrifice for a firmer spine.
If Xabi Alonso chooses to link Federico Valverde to Aurélien Tchouaméni in the middle, it can open the door for Mastantuono to lock on the right flank. But he would not enter that role. Turkish prodigy Arda Güler is also in the mix, and the battle between the two young talents could become one of the most intriguing storylines of the season.
If Xabi wants a more technically gifted partner alongside Tchouaméni in midfield – someone who can dictate pace and unlock defenses – he can turn to Dani Ceballos or even Arda Güler, who has already been tested in that role during the recent club world cup. But that choice would cause a Domino effect …
Sloting Güler or Ceballos in the central midfield would push Valverde wide to the right – a role that he knows well. That hybrid position, where Valverde acts both a winger and a midfielder, was the key to the Triumph Triumph of Ancelotti. His ruthless energy, defensive discipline and the ability to rise ahead made him the glue between the midfield of Madrid and attack.
On the left you of course have Bellingham – those attacking instincts are so strong that he often feels more like an attacker than a midfielder. That makes balance even more difficult.
5-3-2 with three central defenders: one of the attackers must be sacrificed
It is still unclear whether Xabi Alonso will bind to a three-center-back system as the basis of his Real Madrid project. Although in-game Tweaks and liquid formations are expected, a back-through setup would be the dynamics of the Dramatic Reforming team and can limit opportunities for Mastantuono.
The 3-5-2 variant would reduce the chances of Mastantuono to switch on in the starting line-up if one of the big names is put in the front. With Mbappé and Vinicius locked up as the primary attackers, and Bellingham and especially Valverde who operate in midfield (Valverde often takes the same right -sided space as Mastantuono), the Argentinian would need a vacancy to get meaningful minutes.
Wingbacks play a crucial role in this system – and that is where things become difficult. Trent Alexander-Arnold, expected to be forward from the right flank, would of course take the same vertical corridor Mastantuono. Their styles could collide, where both players want to control the attack from similar zones.
To make it work, Madrid would need a midfielder on that side with strong defensive instincts – someone who can cover for the forward runs of Trent and keep the shape intact. Without that kind of support, the game of Mastantuono threatens to be superfluous or tactically exposed.
With little more than fourteen days to the opening match of the new season (against Osasuna on August 19), Xabi has