Xabi Alonso’s three man list of Real Madrid penalty-takers for El Clasico – report | OneFootball

It is clear that Real Madrid will leave no stone unturned to win El Clasico tomorrow evening as they lock horns against Barcelona for the first time this season.

After last season’s humiliations, there is a real sense of revenge in the Real Madrid camp, one that has only been fuelled further by Lamine Yamal’s recent statements.

Kylian Mbappe, needless to say, will be vital to Los Blancos’ chances on the night, and Xabi Alonso has several plans that can help break Barcelona’s high defensive line. Taking three points, however, is easier said than done.

The penalty hierarchy

As relayed by Defensa Central in a recent report, Xabi Alonso has decided on a hierarchy of three players who will be in charge of Real Madrid’s penalty duty tomorrow at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mbappe, unsurprisingly, is the first and most obvious candidate to step up should Los Blancos receive any penalty on the night. 

Real Madrid’s primary penalty-taker. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

In case there is an unforeseen situation where the Frenchman is not on the field at that moment, however, the manager trusts Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham with the responsibility.

The manager’s decision to prioritise a penalty hierarchy may appear queer at first, but it is not uncommon for El Clasico to present penalty opportunities, especially given the high stakes and the pressure on defenders. 

So far this season in La Liga, Mbappe has a 100% penalty conversion rate as he has scored on both occasions that he has stepped up. Vinicius, meanwhile, has stepped up once and converted on that occasion as well.

Given Barcelona’s high defensive line and how Los Blancos can expect to run in behind and expose the defence, there is a good likelihood that the the Catalans’ rearguard can be forced into errors, and a spot-kick is indeed won. 

Concurrently, however, the men in white must be cautious not to concede a penalty at their end.