Starting as a Defensive Midfielder at Real Madrid

”What are our players doing out there?! Go stick to Leon! Get Dzagoev moving!”

”It’s not that simple—Dzagoev has already switched positions. He’s drifting more into the middle now, but Leon followed him right away.”

”Then have him drop deeper to organize from the back? Leon can’t possibly follow him that far, can he?”

”Haven’t you watched Real Madrid’s games? Mourinho’s already used Leon in an advanced defensive midfield role plenty of times before.”

The die-hard CSKA Moscow fans in the stands were growing increasingly agitated as the team struggled to break down their opponents, erupting into a heated discussion about tactics.

The focus of the debate was crystal clear: how to free up Dzagoev, CSKA’s attacking core, from Leon’s relentless marking and allow him to actually influence the game.

After all, Dzagoev wasn’t just any player—he was arguably the most talented of Russia’s post-90s generation and certainly CSKA’s most valuable asset.

Once he was locked down, half of CSKA’s offensive rotation crumbled with him.

Even though they were facing a slightly weakened Real Madrid side today, it was still Real Madrid.

If they couldn’t capitalize now, they’d be in serious trouble once Madrid found their rhythm in the second half.

”If Mourinho’s really committed to using Leon to completely shut Dzagoev down today, then all we can do is pray the rest of Madrid doesn’t grab a vital away goal,” muttered one pessimistic fan. His tone made it clear he didn’t believe Dzagoev would be able to shake free and make an impact.

Some fans nearby wanted to argue, but the words never made it out. They ended up swallowing their rebuttals.

Because, well… there wasn’t much to refute.

Leon had faced off against many attacking midfielders before, and more often than not, his dogged, clingy defending had proven extremely effective.

Anyone who had watched this season’s El Clásico matches would know exactly what level of opponent Dzagoev was up against today.

On the sidelines, CSKA’s head coach Leonid was pacing back and forth, agonizing over whether he should just push Dzagoev up to play as a forward.

Keeping him in the attacking midfield role wasn’t working—the team’s rhythm was all over the place.

But pushing him up top meant going toe-to-toe with Real Madrid’s defense—hardly an ideal solution either.

After much internal struggle, Leonid glanced helplessly toward Mourinho, still convinced this was all part of a carefully prepared tactical trap designed by the Special One himself.

Meanwhile, completely unaware that he’d already forced his opposing coach into such a tough decision, Leon continued applying constant psychological pressure on Dzagoev with their duel.

When it came to pure technique, Dzagoev certainly had it. He was one of the few Russian Premier League players known for skill over physicality.

While his talent didn’t quite reach Arshavin’s level, he lived up to his title as the best of Russia’s ’90s-born generation.

But mentally? Dzagoev was far less composed.

His temperament was just as fiery and unrestrained as his dribbling style.

Some would say he had personality—that classic mix of youthful energy, skill, and arrogance.

Others, less charitable, would call him a reckless hothead with a decent first touch.

Leon zeroed in on that exact weakness, constantly making little provocative moves during challenges to poke at Dzagoev’s temper.

If he spoke Russian, Leon probably would’ve thrown in a few sharp verbal jabs too—just to really show Dzagoev what ”mental warfare” looked like.

Not that Leon started any of this, to be fair. He didn’t set out to provoke Dzagoev.

He was just playing his game. It was Dzagoev who, frustrated by being shut down, insisted on challenging Leon every time he got the ball.

This situation was reminiscent of the young version of Mateo Kovačić back in the day—smooth sailing in domestic games, then suddenly hitting a wall in Europe and falling into frustration.

Only, unlike Kovačić, Dzagoev had already built a name for himself outside Russia.

In the 09–10 Champions League group stage, he’d shone brightly against Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson even praised him post-match.

That performance seemed to turbo-charge Dzagoev’s confidence, and he only got better after returning to the Russian league.

But Leon wasn’t about to give him any respect for past achievements.

What, did Dzagoev think he was up against a washed-up Darren Fletcher or a defensively average Anderson?

No way. Leon was here to give the kid a proper reality check.

Call it a little ”enlightenment” before the summer European Championship.

Maybe once Dzagoev calmed down his ego, he’d actually play better on the big stage.

With all those justifications firmly locked in, Leon played with complete peace of mind.

Finally, in the 28th minute of the first half, Dzagoev’s composure cracked after Leon cleanly slid in from the side to steal the ball yet again.

Frustrated beyond belief, Dzagoev leapt up from the turf and stormed toward Leon, ready to start something.

Leon didn’t back down an inch. He casually put his hands behind his back to signal innocence—but then leaned forward deliberately until their foreheads met in a solid head-to-head standoff!

Essien, the nearest player, rushed over shouting ”NO! NO!”

CSKA’s Aldonin also sprinted in, pale-faced, grabbing Dzagoev around the waist to stop him from doing anything stupid.

”If you can’t take the heat, just lie down and get off the field! What, can’t beat me so now you’re trying this crap?”

Leon waved his hand and barked in English, taunting Dzagoev.

But when he saw the referee approaching, Leon smartly shut his mouth.

The main ref, after quickly getting the scoop from the sideline official, wasted no time.

He pulled Leon and Dzagoev aside and issued a verbal warning to both.

Then he awarded a dropped ball to Real Madrid, who had already gained possession.

All things considered, this was a pretty favorable decision for Dzagoev—no harsh words, no yellow card.

If he had any sense, he’d have walked away right then.

But little Dzagoev was convinced Leon’s slide tackle had been a foul.

Still fuming, he marched over to the ref to argue his case.

Three seconds later, a yellow card was raised high in front of his face.

Coach Leonid was stunned.

The CSKA fans in the stadium were stunned too.

A beat of silence passed… and then came a wave of boos!

Some were aimed at the referee, but others were clearly directed at Dzagoev himself.

The kid had already picked up five yellows in the league this season.

Five cards for a central playmaker in just half a season? That was pretty excessive.

It said everything about Dzagoev’s volatile temperament.

Sure, it might be forgivable to lose your cool once or twice in league play.

But to act like this in a Champions League knockout match?

No wonder part of the home crowd had finally lost patience.

Aldonin wasted no time dragging Dzagoev back to their half.

And Leonid, having seen enough, started preparing a tactical adjustment of his own.

UEFA Champions League East Asian Derby

Keisuke Honda began his warm-up on the sidelines. Alan Dzagoev moved over to the left midfield position, and when pushing forward, he could directly function as a left winger.

As a result, the original left winger, Tosic, became the unlucky one to be substituted early.

Leonid Slutsky was frustrated with Dzagoev’s reckless behavior, but he didn’t want to waste his offensive talent either. CSKA Moscow still needed his creativity to break through Real Madrid’s defense.

So in the end, they settled for a compromise and made these positional adjustments.

Dzagoev went off to duel Nacho one-on-one again on the flank. Meanwhile, Li Ang looked over at Keisuke Honda, who had taken up the central attacking midfield position right after coming on, and gave him a wide, seemingly ”friendly” smile.

Honda politely nodded back at Li Ang—considered a greeting of sorts.

Watching this unfold, commentator Duan Xuan timely shouted, ”The East Asian Derby in the Champions League!”

But in reality, Keisuke Honda had no intention of getting tangled up in any personal duel with Li Ang.

His style of play was far more composed than Dzagoev’s.

He moved actively without holding onto the ball too long, efficiently managing possession and transitioning play with clean passes—no dragging things out.

Li Ang saw that Honda was a steady player like himself and promptly gave up any thoughts of provoking him.

For nearly half an hour, the two teams had been locked in a defensive battle on the frost-covered artificial turf.

But with Dzagoev pushed forward and Honda entering the match, things started to shift.

CSKA wanted to speed things up and go all-out in attack, while Real Madrid’s previously off-form attackers were beginning to find their rhythm.

You could say that Li Ang, Essien, and Alonso had been burning through their stamina just to buy time for the forwards to adjust.

Now, with CSKA trying to pull Real Madrid into a high-tempo battle in their preferred conditions, Real couldn’t just rely on the three midfielders to hold the line anymore.

Pure defense would only invite more pressure—they needed to push forward and try counterattacks.

In these conditions, Xabi Alonso’s long passes became the most practical and effective weapon for launching counters.

Thus began a straightforward back-and-forth exchange of offensive attempts.

Keisuke Honda played his supporting role perfectly, constantly helping Doumbia, the team’s pacey striker, find opportunities.

Real Madrid had their own approach—recover the ball in midfield or defense and immediately launch long balls. Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo essentially became rugby-style running backs, chasing down every ball over the top.

If you covered up the team names and just watched their tactical choices, many fans might think this was an English Championship (EFL) match.

Some hot-tempered fans might even rant, ”What is this? Where’s the tactical depth?!”

Besides trying to exploit space behind the defense and playing long balls, both teams started leaning heavily on crosses again when those didn’t yield results.

The difference? Real Madrid’s forwards occasionally lit things up with quick one-twos and movement off the ball.

Real began to create more dangerous attacks.

After all, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká could still unleash thunderous shots from outside the box. CSKA only had Honda capable of doing the same.

Mourinho watched how things were unfolding, glanced at the clock, and made a bold decision.

In the 38th minute of the first half, he strode to the sideline and made a big gesture, signaling to Li Ang and Essien to push forward more when the chance came.

One had a strong aerial presence, the other a powerful long shot. Together, that could only mean—

Hmm? Wait a second, Li Ang thought, I’ve seen this tactic before!

Not only had he seen it, he’d played it—and he understood its essence perfectly!

Mourinho scratched his nose instinctively. Tactical ideas... sometimes you just borrow them. Surely the original creator wouldn’t mind—right?

Meanwhile, AC Milan fans watching this game got teary-eyed again.

”Damn it! You’re copying the XJBT tactic too?!”

Even Coach Allegri wouldn’t have imagined that his proudest attacking scheme was now being flexibly applied by Mourinho.

So what exactly was this XJBT thing?

To put it simply, it starts with at least one lead attacker—someone who can hold the ball and create one-on-one advantages.

Once you have that player, the rest of the squad supports him with their own strengths: pace, long-range shots, headers, and poaching.

As long as you’ve got guys who excel in any of those skills, they can all contribute to this kind of attack.

A chaotic offense will force the opposing defense to become chaotic too—they simply can’t mark everyone effectively.

In the end, it all comes down to individual performance and ability. If you break through and score—great! Time to pull back.

If not? Then it just means the chaos wasn’t chaotic enough—add more players into the attack and keep pressing!

So, was Real Madrid’s current front line suited to this tactic?

Absolutely.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the alpha dog—push him forward and he immediately posed a serious threat. CSKA had to double-team him.

Benzema, the secondary attacker, had a bit of everything in his arsenal. While against top teams he was more of a support player, against CSKA, as long as he got enough service, he became a deadly all-around weapon.

Around these two were Kaká, Li Ang, and Essien.

They had long-range shots coming in from deep, headers, and poaching instincts.

Ronaldo and Benzema themselves were both capable finishers in the box, and Kaká could just about serve as a secondary finisher as well.

So yes, they had more than enough attacking tools.

And when it came to individual quality, once Real Madrid’s stars adjusted to the pitch, they were hammering CSKA’s defense.

A wave of offensive surges pushed CSKA’s defensive line into total disarray.

Midfielders Wernbloom and Aldonin no longer dared to push forward—they both dropped back to help the defense.

In the 44th minute, after yet another Real Madrid attack was repelled from the penalty area, Coentrão, who had joined the attack, received the ball and scanned the field.

At that moment, both Li Ang and Essien were charging into CSKA’s box together. Coentrão decisively lobbed the ball toward the far post.

Benzema, positioned at the near post, drew two CSKA defenders with him.

Thanks to his pull, Li Ang jumped in with great momentum, drawing the attention of defenders Shchennikov and Berezutski, who followed him into the middle.

But the ball soared over all three of their heads—straight into the open space at the far post!

Essien made a subtle blocking move to hold off the recovering Aldonin.

Cristiano Ronaldo was left alone at the far post, comfortably chesting the ball down.

One-touch control, and then a quick strike—no hesitation.

His shot from inside the penalty area was powerful and sharp, blasting right between goalkeeper Chepchugov’s legs and slamming into the back of the net!

The home crowd in Moscow was left stunned by that Real Madrid attack—heads buzzing in disbelief.

Wait—did they seriously just score from a mass forward surge with no clear plan?!

Even the AC Milan fans were speechless.

Could it be that Li Ang really was the ”core of the system”?

He had just successfully transplanted the XJBT tactic into Real Madrid!

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