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<\/a><\/p>\nG\u00fcler\u2019s wide position encouraged the opposing left-back to step up. Arnold then made a diagonal run behind Vicente and past Martin. The open out-to-in passing lane allowed G\u00fcler and Arnold to combine with a series of give-and-goes, getting the English right-back in behind Racing Santander\u2019s centre-back:<\/p>\n
Mbapp\u00e9 attacked the depth, with Diomand\u00e9 arriving late behind him. Arnold\u2019s cross, however, was not accurate enough to reach Mbapp\u00e9 or the supporting runners:<\/p>\n In the move that led to Real Madrid\u2019s second goal, Tchouam\u00e9ni dropped closer to Courtois, prompting Canales to close the out-to-in passing lane. Cucurella pushed slightly higher, dragging Luque with him. This freed Huijsen to advance near the touchline and play a diagonal ball directly to Mbapp\u00e9.<\/p>\n Mbapp\u00e9 held the ball up well and laid it off to Arda G\u00fcler. The Turkish midfielder then played a through ball to Bellingham, who made a late run into the space behind Racing Santander\u2019s defence. Bellingham dribbled past the goalkeeper and guided the ball into the net:<\/p>\n Racing Santander tried to force Real Madrid into wide traps, but Los Blancos\u2019 setup gave Mourinho\u2019s side the tools to escape pressure on the flanks.<\/p>\n In one example, Huijsen operated as a situational left-back while Cucurella stayed high and wide, pinning Luque. This allowed Tchouam\u00e9ni to dart behind Canales and offer Huijsen a passing option to progress the ball. When Luque left Cucurella to cut off the forward passing lane, it freed the Spanish left-back near the touchline. At the same time, Bellingham moved ahead of his marker as Martin was caught ball-watching.<\/p>\n Real Madrid progressed diagonally to the opposite side. Arda G\u00fcler then chose the individual option and shot from close range:<\/p>\n Since the Leipzig game, Real Madrid\u2019s attacking patterns have increasingly relied on wide connections in the final third, with the team\u2019s distribution across the pitch becoming more balanced.<\/p>\n On the left, Cucurella attacked the channel between the right-back and centre-back as Mbapp\u00e9 moved behind him, while Diomand\u00e9 held the width. The right side mirrored this structure. In the centre, Bellingham had the freedom to roam. He dropped near Prati, while Bernardo Silva and Arda G\u00fcler occupied the opposing right-back and winger in the right half-space. This left Arnold free out wide:<\/p>\n After the switch of play, Arnold laid the ball off to G\u00fcler, and Racing Santander\u2019s block dropped deeper. G\u00fcler was able to deliver an uncontested inswinging cross. Bellingham and Mbapp\u00e9 attacked the blind side of Ramon and Mantilla. The ball reached Bellingham at the edge of the six-yard box, but the goalkeeper saved his header:<\/p>\n In another sequence, Jude Bellingham completed a wide triangle on the left with Mbapp\u00e9 joining the action around the ball:<\/p>\n The movements and spacing among the four players pushed Racing Santander\u2019s block deeper. Rotations between Cucurella, Diomand\u00e9, and Bellingham manipulated their markers and created space inside for the English midfielder to receive. Similar rotations occurred on the right. Bellingham\u2019s switch then found Arnold in space on the opposite flank. As Arnold prepared to cross, Bellingham attacked the blind side of Belocian. This time, Racing Santander\u2019s centre-back cleared the danger:<\/p>\n To progress into the final third in another phase, Tchouam\u00e9ni darted behind Canales to draw him out and open a passing lane between Konat\u00e9 and Bellingham. Bellingham moved against his marker\u2019s momentum to find Bernardo Silva on the right. As the ball advanced, Bernardo Silva and Arda G\u00fcler swapped positions, with the Portuguese midfielder attacking the box. Bellingham shifted toward the ball side, taking Bernardo\u2019s place in the triangle:<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n