Despite being rated much higher than the home team, Real Madrid suffered a defeat against Lille, losing to the only goal scored from a penalty. So, what led to this downfall for Carlo Ancelotti and his team?
Looking at the statistics after the match, Real Madrid still dominated the game. They controlled the ball for 57.8% of the time and took 12 shots toward Lille’s goal (while Lille had 7 shots and 42.2% possession). However, Madrid’s offensive plays lacked the cutting edge to make a real impact.
One noticeable flaw in Real Madrid’s performance was their slow and lackluster ball progression.They mainly passed the ball around the midfield with short passes, but struggled to break through Lille’s solid defense to get close to goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier. Long-range shots became their go-to option, but they also failed to bring about any significant results.
Even when coach Ancelotti brought on star striker Mbappé in the second half, Real Madrid’s attack still didn’t improve significantly. The trio of Bellingham, Mbappé, and Vinícius Jr. seemed powerless against Chevalier. Statistically, during their time on the pitch, this attacking trio managed just three shots on target—two from Vinícius Jr., one from Bellingham, and none from Mbappé.
Against Lille’s disciplined defensive approach, Real Madrid’s stars appeared confused and frequently lost possession. Key midfielders like Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and especially Jude Bellingham were almost invisible throughout the match, unable to produce any meaningful playmaking. In terms of midfield effectiveness, substitute Arda Güler was arguably more impressive than the starting players.
A bigger issue for Real Madrid was their players’ lack of stamina, seemingly worn out after their 1-1 draw with Atlético in the Madrid Derby. They frequently lost duels against Lille’s players, and the home team’s quick counter-attacks, which targeted Real Madrid’s flanks, consistently put Ancelotti’s side on the back foot. If not for the excellent performance of goalkeeper Lunin and some help from the crossbar and post, Madrid could have conceded more than once.
In a match where they attacked much but failed to score, Real Madrid paid the price due to the harsh reality of football, facing Lille’s well-organized counter-attacking strategy. Late in the first half, midfielder Camavinga became the culprit when he handled the ball inside the penalty area. Initially, the referee overlooked the incident, but after consulting VAR, he awarded Lille a penalty. Jonathan David didn’t waste the opportunity, calmly slotting the ball past Lunin.
The 0-1 defeat ended Real Madrid’s 14-game unbeaten run in European competitions. Moreover, it also snapped their 36-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, which had stretched over nine months under Ancelotti’s management.