MADRID NOT STELLAR WITH BBC

Looking at Real Madrid, a top team in Europe, they have not been stellar when their top three stars feature for them.

When Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, and Cristiano Ronaldo play, the team does not appreciably increase, rather they struggle to get goals and even allow goals from opponents.

When BBC play, Real actually struggle especially against smaller teams, analyses reveal. Looking at various formations, when one or two of BBC do(es) not feature – or starts from the bench – the team employs a 4-2-3-1 formation, which actually gets the goals.

Even against teams like Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, the 4-2-3-1 formation helped them get the goals and defend well but when the team plays big matches, Coach Zinedine Zidane is inclined to play the BBC, forcing them to struggle.

Sky Sports reports that when the BBC starts, the chance of victory drops by 7 percent. The number of goals the team concedes also increases, and the points they could garner drops. When Ronaldo did not play, the team won more games. When the Portuguese star does not feature alongside Benzema, the team’s goal tally shoots up.

Bale served his suspension during the weekend; Ronaldo missed the game so Benzema played alone upfront. He led the attack and proved to be the match winner. This puts Zidane in a tight position for a manager that always wants to play his best legs when they are fit and do not require rest.

Madrid really need to find their strong footing and best combinations now so they can finish in the league strongly. A confident Barcelona team might beat them to the title if they slip anytime as the season winds down. Barca are ahead by a point but Real have a game in hand. There are still about 12 games which will decide who deserves the title more.