The Madrid derby at the Metropolitano once again raised questions for Real Madrid. The 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid not only brought another setback and José Mourinho’s strong reaction to the refereeing, but also highlighted a long-standing issue involving the club’s two biggest attacking stars. Vinicius and Mbappé are once again struggling to find enough space to thrive together.

The heat maps from the match provide a clear illustration. Vinicius remained heavily focused on the left flank, as is customary, while also moving into central areas. Mbappé, meanwhile, operated primarily as the striker in Mourinho’s 4-2-3-1 system, although he also drifted towards the left. The result was a significant overlap between the two players in the same areas of the pitch.

This is hardly a new problem. Since Mbappé’s arrival two years ago, Vinicius and the Frenchman have often struggled to find the right balance, with their periods of form seemingly moving in opposite directions. When one hits top form, the other has often struggled to maintain the same level.

The issue has also persisted under four different coaches: Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa and Mourinho.

At the Metropolitano, neither player was able to turn their attacking presence into significant output. Real Madrid recorded just 0.32 expected goals, their lowest total in a La Liga match since February 2015, according to Opta data. Mbappé registered only one shot, while Vinicius managed two before being substituted in the 54th minute.

The problem is therefore unlikely to disappear from the spotlight, particularly after a painful derby defeat and during a difficult run of form for the team. Vinicius is facing even greater scrutiny after another disappointing performance, while Yan Diomande continues to make a case for more opportunities after being one of the few bright spots in the latest defeat.

The first decision now belongs to Mourinho, who must find a way to make Real Madrid’s two biggest attacking stars complement each other more effectively.

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