Arbeloa channels his inner Ancelotti with Camavinga left-back masterclass
Real Madrid's caretaker boss reverted to a familiar tactical solution against Rayo, deploying Camavinga at left-back despite having three natural options on the bench.
Following the Portuguese pasting in Lisbon, Álvaro Arbeloa decided simplicity was the answer against Rayo Vallecano, dusting off a tactical trick straight from Carlo Ancelotti’s playbook.
Back to basics
Arbeloa wasn’t in the mood for revolution after Real Madrid’s recent setback. Instead, he returned to the lineup that performed brilliantly against Monaco, focusing on regaining confidence and controlling the match from the off.
The standout decision? Deploying Eduardo Camavinga at left-back despite having three natural options available. With Ferland Mendy the only absentee in that position, Arbeloa still opted to leave Carreras, Fran García and David Alaba watching from the bench.
The Ancelotti blueprint
This tactical choice echoes Carlo Ancelotti’s approach during pressure situations. When the going gets tough, Camavinga at left-back has proven to be a reliable solution for Los Blancos.
The Frenchman isn’t a natural full-back, but his profile fits perfectly with what Arbeloa demands from the position:
- Clean ball progression from the back
- Ability to drift inside when needed
- Excellent decision-making in possession
- Essentially a midfielder starting plays from wide positions
Camavinga is no stranger to this role, having played there 28 times under Ancelotti, including high-profile matches against Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and even Champions League semi-finals.
Numbers don’t lie
The experiment worked a treat against Rayo. Camavinga delivered an impressive 95% pass completion rate (42/44), showing perfect balance between caution and creativity. He maintained 100% accuracy in his own half (18/18) while still managing a remarkable 92% in the opposition territory (24/26).
The Frenchman even found time to showcase his dribbling skills, completing all three of his attempted take-ons while providing that clean build-up play from deep – essentially a midfielder masquerading as a full-back.
While some gaffer might’ve gone for the dog and bone after the Lisbon defeat, Arbeloa’s decision to take a page from Ancelotti’s tactical handbook proved spot on. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best.