Real Madrid's Right Flank Injury Crisis Forces Tactical Shifts and Increases Mbappé's Offensive Burden
Real Madrid faces ongoing right-back injuries causing tactical adjustments and increasing reliance on Kylian Mbappé for attacking success.
- • Trent Alexander-Arnold’s serious injury adds to Real Madrid’s right-back crisis alongside Dani Carvajal’s long-term absence.
- • Several midfielders and wingers are filling in on the right flank with limited effectiveness.
- • Real Madrid’s attack is heavily biased towards the left side, with 40% of attacks from there versus 31.9% from the right.
- • Kylian Mbappé’s involvement in nine consecutive goals highlights his pivotal role amid squad injuries and tactical challenges.
Key details
Real Madrid is currently grappling with significant injury challenges on the right flank, severely impacting the team’s tactical setup and offensive balance. The latest setback comes with Trent Alexander-Arnold suffering a serious injury—his second this season—compounding the absence of Dani Carvajal, who is expected to remain sidelined until 2026. This leaves Real Madrid without a natural right-back for at least a month, forcing coach Xabi Alonso to rely on midfielders and wingers such as Franco Mastantuono, Brahim, Rodrygo, Güler, Valverde, and Camavinga to fill the role, though with limited success.
Since August, Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold have only been fit together for six of 20 matches, resulting in a fragile and inconsistent right side. Valverde, while the most convincing option, has expressed discomfort playing out of position. The team’s offensive play has increasingly skewed to the left, with 40% of attacks coming down that side, compared to just 31.9% from the right. This imbalance highlights the difficulties on the right flank and underscores Real Madrid’s heavy dependence on Kylian Mbappé for goal creation.
Mbappé’s outstanding form has been a critical factor amid these challenges. He has been involved in the last nine Real Madrid goals this season—scoring seven and assisting two—and has earned comparisons to club legend Cristiano Ronaldo. Coach Xabi Alonso emphasized Mbappé’s impact, saying, “Kylian is on the path to making history at Real Madrid, just as Cristiano did,” and praised his ambition and positive influence on the team.
The upcoming fixtures, including a crucial La Liga match against Celta de Vigo, provide an opportunity for Real Madrid to address defensive vulnerabilities and maintain their title challenge. Alonso is considering a 4-4-2 formation to improve defensive stability and balance amid the injury crisis. Meanwhile, the team continues to await Carvajal’s full recovery to restore solidity on the right side.
With Alexander-Arnold’s injury compounding Madrid’s existing problems, the right flank remains a “cursed” area for the club this season, necessitating tactical flexibility and placing additional pressure on key players like Mbappé to drive the team forward.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
