Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
The afternoon sunlight shines on people, dispelling some of the chill.
Everyone's eyes are on the newly crowned Gold Ball winner Chen Zhong, eager to see what kind of performance he can deliver in his first match after winning the award.
In this match, Atletico Madrid is using the 442 formation, a somewhat "outdated" setup that Diego Simeone is particularly fond of.
Diego Simeone's 442 formation doesn't adopt a diamond positioning but is comprised of three parallel lines: front, middle, and back.
Before the match, Mourinho analyzed Diego Simeone's 442 formation with the players. This formation is characterized by its disregard for ball control, even deliberately ceding possession, focusing more on overall defense in positional play.
