Real Madrid are a powerhouse of European football. They have won the Champions League title a whopping 14 times, more than any other team in Europe. Although their full-backs have always contributed to their glory, the past two seasons have seen a decline in the quality of the personnel deployed in the position. They have suffered a lot in both right and left back positions as it has affected the team as a whole.
The full-back position is one of the most demanding positions in modern football. The full-back has loads of responsibilities, especially if they play for top European clubs. They need to have a lot of speed and stamina, excellent ball control, defensive awareness, and peerless crossing abilities. Let’s take a closer look at Real Madrid’s full-back woes.
Right back: Dani Carvajal
Dani Carvajal is regarded as one of the best right-backs ever to play for Los Blancos. Defensively solid and adroit, though not spectacular going forward, he has been a first-choice right-back at the club for some time now. He was an integral part of the famous three peat real Madrid team.
He once had all the qualities of an ideal full-back but has recently seen a dip in his form due to his age and injuries. He has lost touch and should be replaced as soon as possible as he is seen as a weakness in his team by opponents.
Kylian Mbappe and some other pacey wingers. It is still not enough to get a starting spot for the defending champions of Europe. He is often caught out of position and fails to track back. It affects the whole right-hand side of the team. He can’t keep up with pacey wingers anymore and gets beaten in 1v1 situations.
It is almost inscrutable to think that Real Madrid didn’t buy a backup option for him. Lucas Vazquez also failed to perform after Zinedine Zidane left Los Merengues after the 2020-21 season. He has got pace but lacks decision-making and final balls. In the ongoing 2022-23 La Liga season, Carvajal has played 11 matches (nine starts). He has zero shots on target from a total of three attempts and is yet to open his goal account (0.18 xG). Carvajal averages 42 passes per match, has a pass completion rate of 88%, and has only 1 assist.
Real Madrid got Vinicius Tobias, an 18-year old Brazilian, brought in from Shakhtar Donetsk on loan. They also have the option of making his transfer permanent for €18 million. He currently plays for the B-team but recently trained with the first team before their clash with Villarreal in the Copa del Rey.
The Brazilian has got great technical ability and feels comfortable with the ball at his feet. He is adept at crossing the ball with both feet and is also good in 1v1 situations. He still has a long way to go and under a good manager like Carlo Ancelotti, he can definitely go places considering his potential.
Real Madrid have recently shown interest in Benjamin Pavard, the 26-year-old World Cup-winning Frenchman, who plays in the right-back position for Bayern Munich. He has proved himself in the Champions League as well as the World Cup but may end up at Barcelona for guaranteed game time.
Left back: Ferland Mendy
Ferland Mendy stepped up to replace Marcelo at the left-back position. It was a burdensome assignment considering the vacuum created by Marcelo’s departure from him. Mendy was up to the task and gave solid performances whenever he played. He was trusted by Zidane which helped him to build confidence. He has good game awareness and is defensively solid but offers little to nothing in the offense. He has Vinicius in front of him but often fails to connect with him.
have shown interest in Alphonso Davies and will try to lure him away from Bayern Munich. He will have 12 months left on his contract by then, so Florentino Perez will try to get him for a much lower price.
The Canadian is just 22 years old and has already developed himself into one of the best left-backs in the world. He is one of the paciest players in the world and his athleticism means he is influential in both the first and final thirds. He can track back too thanks to his unparalleled pace. Crossing is one of his most important weapons. If he can’t find a target in the box, he just plays a one-two with one of his teammates to attract a defender and receive the ball in open space.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo on the left-hand side of the pitch. The only question that remains is whether Perez will be able to land Davies as it will not be an easy task as he will have to face very high competition from other teams. (Below table snippet is from Transfermarkt)
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