【Original】“I Want to Play for Real Madrid in Sports; Atletico is in the Struggle”

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This post was last edited by “Hastily Passing Through Those Years” on January 10, 2018, at 09:52. This is a rant written on February 8, 2015, regarding Real Madrid’s crushing 0-4 defeat to Atlético Madrid. The 4-0 scoreline broke my heart; Real Madrid was completely dominated throughout the match. Early in the second half, Real Madrid managed to mount a brief offensive surge, but it quickly fizzled out. Atlético Madrid executed their pressing very effectively; Real Madrid players were slow in passing the ball, which often led to turnovers. They were constantly forced into physical confrontations. No player likes having others interfere with them the moment they get hold of the ball, yet Atlético Madrid deliberately did just that—making it difficult and uncomfortable for Real Madrid to play. The Real Madrid players felt helpless, as there was nothing they could do about it. Valane did not play with enough maturity in this match; one hesitation led to an immediate goal as he failed to clear the ball in time, another time his dribbling in the defensive area was intercepted, and once his long pass was terrible ； C Ronaldo, Bale, and Benzema didn’t have many chances to get the ball, let alone deliver any good performances ； In the midfield, Kroos had a limited performance – 14 Ks. They tried to link up the defense with the attack, but the ball was always in the air; the two of them didn’t have an advantage in terms of physical confrontation. Throughout the match, Real Madrid’s players seemed determined to win but lacked the means to do so, and they didn’t fight hard enough. Simoni – it seems that the injuries he suffered in last season’s Champions League were too severe; this season, whenever he faces Real Madrid, he has to fight hard, using high-pressure attacks, crosses from the flanks, and set pieces. The tactics are quite obvious: Real Madrid’s strategy is to control the game and advance, only to be subjected to intense pressure, which is extremely frustrating. I really hate Atlético when watching matches – they’re like flies that keep hovering around you, disturbing you, provoking you, making you anxious and angry, leaving you with no choice. Real Madrid wanted to stay stable but didn’t manage to do so – hasn’t An Peng realized that? In Real Madrid’s previous matches against Atlético, wasn’t it possible to detect Atlético’s tactics? An Pang bears undeniable responsibility for this incident! Now let’s talk about Atlético Madrid. If they play every match this season using this tactics, I believe they would definitely be at the top of the table by now. However, this tactic is very demanding on the players; it requires a high level of physical strength and stamina. Simeone has to make choices, but when facing Barcelona and Real Madrid, he will without hesitation use this tactic of pressing high and adopting a defensive approach. This match was also characterized by a high number of yellow cards. Atlético Madrid focused on collective defense, something Real Madrid was unable to do; when the opponent attacked, all players would defend while one or two others tried to press the opponent. This posed a great challenge for Real Madrid. However, in such situations, the players’ individual skills couldn’t be fully utilized because there was interference from the opponent the moment they received the ball, with defenders being too close. When trying to break through, two players would surround them, making it difficult to get past them. This is the result of Atlético Madrid’s strong defense; it stems from the team’s high level of cohesion and unity. There are no star players on the team, with the only notable figure being coach Simeone. In midfield, Atlético relies mainly on aerial play; by engaging in physical battles they make it difficult for their opponents, then take possession of the ball and pass it to the flanks or bottom of the field to create confusion and score goals. As for crosses from the flanks, there are four Atlético players surrounding Real Madrid’s center back – how terrifying. At the attacking end, Atlético Madrid played well from the flanks, provided plenty of support, and when it didn’t work they would simply pass the ball straight in. On the other hand, with Real Madrid, once the ball reached the lower edge of the wing, they were forced to turn, or else a foul would be committed. There were no good opportunities to take a shot. The kicking was extremely subdued! Watching my team’s matches, especially those crucial games, is really stressful – during the first 20 minutes I’m always on edge, fearing that Real Madrid will concede a goal and then have to work hard to catch up. It was such a tough match, and in the end it ended in a draw. Why couldn’t they get excited earlier and strengthen their defense? After all, both teams are full of energy at the start of the match, so competition is intense; if a goal is conceded carelessly, it’s extremely regrettable. It seems like many goals could have been avoided! How to beat Atlético Madrid? We must learn from Barcelona; why is Atlético sometimes at a loss against Messi, while Real Madrid is also at a loss against Atlético? It is only against Barcelona that Real Madrid faces a true challenge! In matches between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, it’s a game of possession play. Atlético presses hard on Barcelona’s players; they have excellent footwork and can pass the ball quickly, making it difficult for Barcelona to get hold of the ball. Occasionally, Barcelona does manage to get the ball, which creates two scoring opportunities. But after running around for a long time, their stamina inevitably declines. When Atlético is in trouble, that’s when Barcelona gets its chances – Messi breaking free from the defensive pressure and Neymar making rapid advances are both key to winning such matches! (One has to admire the individual skills of Coal Ball and Nei Shao – they’re very skillful.) In the match between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid’s players clearly passed the ball too slowly; they were unable to get past opponents who were strong in defense, or else they ended up being closely marked and unable to play freely. This reminds me of Di Maria as well. It’s very difficult for Real Madrid to beat Atlético Madrid when playing in this way; moreover, Real Madrid doesn’t have the same level of coordination as Barcelona. Real Madrid needs space in order to be able to move and get ahead – Bale, in particular, needs space; there shouldn’t be any players within two meters of him, otherwise he’ll lose control of the ball with just a slight touch. Real Madrid vs Atlético Madrid: Atlético’s bus defense system is also a challenge for Real Madrid! The reason why Real Madrid and Barcelona represent a true rivalry is that Barcelona is not as aggressive and thorough in its pressing as Atlético Madrid. (But Barcelona at the height of its form in previous years was still very quick in pressing; it was difficult for Real Madrid to beat Barcelona back then.) Second, Barcelona does not have the same dominance in the air as Atlético Madrid, while Real Madrid has a certain advantage in battles involving aerial balls. Thirdly, both Real Madrid and Barcelona prefer to have the ball rolling on the ground; neither team plays in a awkward manner, with constant attacks and defenses. That’s why matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona in recent years can truly be considered real competitions! After watching this local derby, I have many thoughts: one is a top-team and the other a lower-ranked team, yet it was the lower-ranked team that thrashed the powerhouse Real Madrid 4:0! One wants to play football with elegance and charm, while the other just wants to fight to win against you. One is where I want to play football properly, the other is where I only care about the result! Here, we can’t help but applaud Atlético Madrid; it seems as though they are fighting on behalf of the ordinary people, the common folks – it’s a real struggle, without any hesitation, just pure determination! Real Madrid is noble, dressed in pure white; it cannot fight in the same way as Atlético, because it can’t afford to get hurt, and its players aren’t willing to do that either! How to gain an advantage in future local derbies and win matches is a question that Ramos, Pepe, and the coaching staff need to consider carefully. Should we set aside our pride and fight hard as a team on the verge of relegation? In this match, I didn’t see any fighting spirit from Real Madrid; no one stepped forward to inspire the team, and no one showed the determination to level the score or take the lead when behind. This reminds me of Ramos and Pepe. Perhaps they too feel helpless on the field, unable to match Atlético’s strength. In any case, I hope Team An Pang can adjust their mindset well in order to face the next challenge! One last thing to say: Keep it up! Real Madrid! ! !