Real Madrid beat Talavera 3-2 in the Copa del Rey, Guler shines.

Real Madrid left the Talavera stadium with a ticket to the next round after a nail-biting 3-2 victory, but amidst the dust of a hard-fought match, Arda Guler emerged as the most reliable playmaker, second only to Kylian Mbappe in terms of influence.

A bright spot in midfield on a hard-fought night.

Against third-division side Talavera in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey, Real Madrid led 2-0 thanks to a brace from Mbappe and an own goal, but defensive lapses led to a thrilling chase for the lead, ending with a narrow 3-2 victory.

Amidst significant squad rotation, coach Xabi Alonso gave Arda Guler a starting spot in midfield. The young Turkish talent repaid that trust with 77 minutes of play showcasing the qualities of a true playmaker: calm, precise, and always ready to take responsibility for possession.

Based on professional statistics, Guler was the second-best player for Real Madrid, only behind Mbappe – who scored a brace. The statistics website FotMob gave him a score of 7.8, accurately reflecting his quiet but crucial contributions in the midfield.

The playmaker's passing accuracy is 95%.

The statistics show the stability and maturity in Guler's playing style. He made 79 passes, completing 75, with a 95% accuracy rate. In a match where Real Madrid were often pressed intensely by their opponents, maintaining such high accuracy helped the visitors maintain their attacking structure and tempo.

Even more impressively, Guler made eight long passes, and all eight reached their intended target, a 100% success rate for those chances that carried significantly more risk than his short passes. This is clear evidence of the tactical awareness and spatial sense of a playmaking midfielder – knowing when to accelerate with a wing switch or a pass that tears through the opponent's midfield.

Opportunity creation machine with xA 0.68

Not only is Guler a reliable ball-handler, but he is also Real Madrid's main source of creativity. His expected assists (xA) metric is 0.68, the highest among all players on the pitch, surpassing even attacking players like Mbappe or Endrick.

The 0.68 figure shows that Guler's final passes were highly effective, often putting teammates in advantageous shooting positions. He made 13 passes into the final third of the pitch, creating 2 clear-cut scoring opportunities – chances that, with better finishing, could have made the score less dramatic for Real Madrid.

Dead ball tactics and the ability to read the game.

Another highlight of Guler's performance was his set-piece ability. In the 27th minute, he unleashed a spectacular free-kick into the top corner, forcing goalkeeper Jaime Gonzalez to make a fingertip save. It wasn't just a beautiful shot, but a constant reminder of the threat Guler poses from every set-piece situation.

In the 69th minute, Guler continued to test Gonzalez with another free kick, demonstrating his confidence and decisiveness when facing the ball. Between those two set pieces, in the 33rd minute, he further showcased his vision with a masterful pass to Fran Garcia, creating a header opportunity for Gonzalo Garcia.

These details show that Guler is not only a reliable link in ball circulation, but also a player who knows how to choose the right moment to create breakthroughs – a crucial quality for an attacking midfielder in Xabi Alonso's system.

Maintain control of the game during moments when Real Madrid falters.

When Real Madrid, having taken a comfortable lead, found themselves being chased by Talavera, the composure of the midfield became crucial. In their time on the pitch, Guler and Dani Ceballos' calmness helped the visitors maintain control of the midfield, limiting the home team's momentum after their equalizing goals.

The decision to substitute Guler in the 77th minute for Aurelien Tchouameni was a clear tactical adjustment: Real Madrid needed to add more steel to protect their slender lead, rather than continuing to risk a possession-oriented formation.

A message to the coaching staff through the numbers.

Some Spanish media outlets, including Marca, remain critical of Guler's performance. However, the statistics offer a different perspective: 95% pass accuracy, 8/8 successful long passes, xA 0.68, 13 passes into the final third, 2 clear chances created, and dangerous set pieces.

In a match where Real Madrid underperformed and the victory was decided by a narrow 3-2 margin, the fact that a young player like Guler maintained consistency and made sound decisions is a positive sign. This is the kind of performance that coaching staff often consider when making personnel decisions for bigger matches.

Guler's maturity in footballing intelligence, effectiveness in long passes, and composure in set pieces show that he is on the right track. On the turbulent Talavera pitch, Real Madrid secured their place in the next round, and Guler had another match to solidify his position in the team's long-term plans.