Rock & Roll football returns to the Bernabéu as Madrid put six past Monaco
Los Blancos delivered their most entertaining performance of the season with a direct attacking approach that saw Mbappé and Vinicius shine in a six-goal thriller.
Madrid finally delivered the rock and roll football promised by Xabi Alonso’s arrival, dismantling Monaco in what might be their most impressive display of the season.
From chess to heavy metal
The Bernabéu was treated to a proper end-to-end spectacle on Tuesday night, with Madrid abandoning the methodical, controlled approach that had become Xabi’s trademark for something far more direct and devastating.
The numbers tell a story that’s absolutely mental - Los Blancos scored six goals from just five shots on target (with one Monaco own goal helping the cause). Talk about clinical! The visitors actually managed more shots on target (six) but found Courtois in inspired form, with the woodwork also coming to Madrid’s rescue.
This was chalk and cheese compared to what we’ve seen under Xabi so far. Gone was the chess match in midfield, replaced by lightning-quick transitions and vertical play that bypassed the middle third entirely at times.
Unleashing the thoroughbreds
The direct approach played perfectly into the hands of Madrid’s attacking talents:
- Mbappé looked like the dog’s dinner, bagging the first two goals and finding space to showcase his pace
- Vinicius was absolutely flying - the Brazilian thrives when given open grass to attack rather than facing packed defences
- Bellingham rediscovered his goal-scoring instincts with more freedom to make late runs
The introduction of Güler, who had fallen out of favour since Bellingham’s return from injury, added even more verticality to Madrid’s play. Meanwhile, Mastantuono provided much-needed aggression down the right flank, an area that’s been Madrid’s least productive in attack this season.
Defensive question marks remain
It wasn’t all champagne football, mind. Madrid conceded 20 shots, with six on target forcing Courtois into five saves (Monaco’s keeper only made one). The Belgian was in top form between the sticks.
The jury’s still out on whether this more open approach is deliberate - inviting teams forward to exploit the space they leave behind - or a weakness that better teams might punish more severely.
What’s clear is that this version of Madrid looks far more comfortable in transition than when trying to break down packed defences. If this is the blueprint going forward, we’re in for some proper Bobby Dazzlers at the Bernabéu.