Real Madrid spent north of £200 million this summer, but are already trailing rivals Barcelona by six points in La Liga.
Los Blancos have a pressing problem, one that their coach Jose Mourinho and his assistants, including Sami Khedira, have very clearly identified.
In football today, maintaining collective compact structures without dulling the sharpness of generational attacking talents remains one of tactical management's toughest assignments.
For a side that has both Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, a slight drop-off in the defensive application from either player is bound to be noticed significantly, but what shows up in the data is not a slight drop-off; it is a major challenge for the side.
Mourinho and co. are spending the international break looking at early-season performance data, and their early-season analysis suggests that while team-wide defending has improved, the off-the-ball contribution and pressing mechanics of their superstar frontline require immediate refinement, especially following their derby defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Why Real Madrid's Pressing Numbers Are Raising Questions About Mbappe and Vinicius
Following a stinging 2-1 derby setback against Atleti just before the international break, Mourinho and Khedira have placed Real Madrid's defensive metrics under close scrutiny.
Reports emerged in recent days that they are the side that has covered the least in La Liga this season, prompting a deeper look at the problem.
According to Defensa Central, the coaching staff reportedly believe the problem is linked to Mbappe and Vinicius Jr's defensive contribution.
Both players are working harder than they did in previous seasons, but their situational pressing remains a problem for the team.
The dilemma facing Mourinho and his backroom staff is teaching both forwards when to press high, when to drop into mid-block recovery lanes and when to conserve energy for counter-attacking transitions.
Mbappe admitted earlier this season that he needs to work harder defensively, but the defensive improvement needed goes beyond simply running more; it includes understanding when to run and when not to.
New signing Marc Cucurella was surprised to learn that Real Madrid cover less ground than other teams, but understanding the context provides better insight into the issue.
How Bellingham and Diomande Could Help Real Madrid Improve Their Pressing
Mourinho has at Real Madrid a collection of elite attacking and midfield talent, and has not had for the best part of a decade-a genuine collection of world-class stars.
On a regular day, the individual quality present in this Real Madrid squad will suffice to defeat most teams in Europe, but defeats against Real Betis and Atletico Madrid show that individual quality alone is not enough.
The defensive aspect of the game is more important than ever, and coaches need players to buy into this understanding in order to be successful.
Rather than demanding endless 90-minute defensive shuttle runs, Mourinho and Khedira are pointing to players within Valdebebas as ideal models for off-the-ball discipline.
Two of those players are midfielder Jude Bellingham and club-record signing Yan Diomande, both of whom are highlighted as squad benchmarks for how attacking players can protect the central structure without sacrificing threat in possession.
Once they return from international duty, Mourinho will encourage Mbappe and Vinicius Jr to pick selective moments to aid their backline.
By doing this, they will provide cover for their midfield pivot and by extension, their backline, and will preserve their own world-class transition power.
