Arda Guler's fortunes change

Arda Guler is different now.

The young Turkish player - once a "right-wing magician" under Ancelotti - has now transformed into a midfield conductor, a true architect of Real Madrid's style of play. And the person who laid the foundation for that transformation is none other than Xabi Alonso.

From showy “number 10” to the center of power

When he first arrived at the Bernabéu, Guler was seen as a rough diamond - good technique, but not yet established in his position. Ancelotti let him play as a free winger, where he could freely express his skills.

But that flamboyance lacked system and tactical depth. Everything changed when Xabi Alonso took over the coaching position. With the eyes of a former world-class central midfielder, Xabi saw in Guler the qualities to become the pivot of the team.

At first, there were tests against Pachuca and Salzburg - matches that were not too stressful but were enough to test the new way of thinking about football. But it was the two performances against Juventus and Borussia Dortmund - truly formidable opponents - that confirmed: Guler is completely capable of taking on a central role. No longer a winger who flies around, he is now the one who controls the tempo, distributes the cards, and leads Real Madrid forward with composure and sharpness.

Xabi Alonso helps Arda Guler explode.

Against Dortmund, Guler made 67 passes, more than anyone else on the pitch. He constantly poked holes, changed direction, and opened up the wings - causing the opposing defense to constantly fall into a passive state. Not only passing the ball, Guler also "connected" the team. The harmonious coordination with Alexander-Arnold (10 times) or Valverde (9 times) showed his outstanding integration and increasingly mature tactical sense.

The stats don't lie: 179 touches, 141 accurate passes, 40 through balls, 140 assists, 68 sprints, a top speed of 32.5 km/h. But what's more remarkable is the quality of each move - each of Guler's moves has a clear purpose and the ability to open up play for the team.

Not only start, but also finish

Guler is not only good at starting but also extremely effective in the decisive area. He assisted two goals against Dortmund - one for Gonzalo, one for Mbappe - both of which came from razor-sharp passes.

Between the round of 16 and the quarter-finals, he created five scoring chances, led the team in the number of passes into the final third, and, crucially, made 20 clean sheets per game - without a single mistake. It was the precision of a playmaker, but also the vision of an artist.

Arda Guler could play an important role at Real Madrid in the future.

However, the road to becoming a complete central midfielder is not just paved with beautiful passes. Guler is still learning to defend. He is not yet proficient in his positioning, and sometimes he rushes forward unnecessarily - as in the match against Juventus, where Yildiz exploited the space between him and Trent, leading to 13 ineffective pressings.

But the important thing is learning. The match against Dortmund showed that Guler has improved significantly: he plays more solidly, knows how to hold his position, reduces the number of direct presses, increases indirect pressure (54 times) and plays a key role in intercepting passes (53 times). He covers the most ground in the team (11.2 km), always appears in hot spots, is not afraid of collisions or drops deep to support.

Real Madrid in this tournament showed a compact block of the team - 35 meters in length when pressing high, 25 meters in the middle of the field and 21 meters when defending low. In that system, Guler maximized his ability because he was always protected by Valverde and Tchouameni - who were not only strong but also very disciplined. It was this support that gave Güler the freedom to create without fear of losing the defensive balance.

The most valuable thing Guler received was not the new position, but the absolute trust of coach Xabi Alonso. “He needs to improve his defensive skills, and the best way to learn is to play,” Xabi said – short, straightforward, but full of tolerance. In that environment, talent like Guler is not only developed but also trained in the right direction.

At 20, Guler is on his way to becoming one of Europe’s top central midfielders – and possibly the soul of Real Madrid for the next decade. That transformation is no accident. It’s the result of strategic vision, a coach who understands the game – and a player who puts his ego aside to learn, adapt, and improve. Guler’s fortunes have changed. And the man who’s rewriting them is Xabi Alonso.

Source: https://znews.vn/van-menh-arda-guler-doi-chieu-post1567233.html