Real Madrid pressed Manchester City 53% longer than in last season's 4-0 defeat. Carlo Ancelotti's team pressed at a pace of 169 seconds per 90 minutes at the Bernabéu.
The English noticed the change on Tuesday, as Rodri explained: “They have a good defensive structure, and they punish you on the counterattack with two or three very dangerous players” The jump is explained by two factors already pointed out last year by the coaching staff: the attitude and the physical point due to the age of some players. The increase in intensity helped Madrid on Tuesday to insist more on one of its most notable weapons: it is the team in the five major leagues that has scored the most goals on thecounterattack, 14 in all competitions. The second and third for City came through that route, which Guardiola also knew: ‘I already thought it was going to happen. What happens is that it has happened more than normal because very reliable players like Rodri, Bernardo, have lost more balls than normal’