Espanyol 1–2 Real Madrid: twenty-one shots, and the winner came from the bench

The plan

Espanyol set a 4-4-2 and let Real Madrid have the ball: 37 percent possession, no corners in ninety minutes, nineteen fouls to seven. Madrid’s 4-2-3-1 had Arda Güler behind the striker and Bellingham arriving from midfield, and for nine minutes the plan looked like it would be over early.

Bellingham’s opener at 9’, from Güler’s pass, was the first of 21 Madrid shots. Fourteen of them came from inside the box. The record says Madrid created 2.71 expected goals; the scoreboard said 1–1 for sixty minutes.

Key moment · 30’

Espanyol’s equaliser is what a deep 4-4-2 is for. Hernández to Calatrava, one of eight Espanyol shots and one of four from inside the area, and it went in. Calatrava was booked two minutes later, Vinícius Júnior in the same minute, and the match settled into the shape it kept until the end: Madrid circulating, Espanyol fouling and clearing.

A team that takes 21 shots and scores twice has not been unlucky. It has been made to shoot from where the defence wanted.— TacticFrame editorial

Key moment · 90’

Xabi Alonso’s last change at 80’ was a triple one: Alexander-Arnold, Camavinga and Carlos Espí for Dumfries, Bernardo Silva and Bellingham. Espí scored in the 90th minute, unassisted in the record, Madrid’s eighth shot on target. Güler finished with seven key passes and one assist; Bellingham with the highest Madrid rating and the opening goal; the winner came from the player who replaced him.

Verdict

• 63 percent, 21 shots and 2.71 xG bought Madrid one open-play goal for eighty minutes. The 4-4-2 conceded volume and refused quality.
• Güler was the creator (seven key passes); Bellingham and Espí were the finishers. Madrid’s threat ran through the ten, not the wingers.
• Espanyol’s numbers, eight shots and 1.05 xG, say the equaliser was about their ceiling. Holding it to 90’ was the achievement; the bench decided it.