The roller coaster of having Lucas Vázquez at right-back

Between 2021 and 2023, Real Madrid’s encounters with Chelsea came with a curious, yet seemingly minor, aesthetic dilemma—one that would be overlooked at many clubs, but at Real Madrid, it was nothing short of preposterous. On all three occasions, Los Blancos found themselves wearing alternate socks with their pristine white home kit, an occurrence that, for a club steeped in tradition, bordered on sacrilege. The sight of mismatched socks may have seemed trivial to the casual observer, but at Real Madrid, tampering with the home kit, especially the socks, is considered near blasphemous.

At the onset of this sartorial crisis, Zinedine Zidane added a tactical oddity of his own, one even more bizarre than the alternate socks — he started Vinicius Jr. as a right wing-back in a 3-5-2 formation at Stamford Bridge. In a season filled with strange happenings—the COVID-19 pandemic, empty stadiums filled with CGI fans, and unprecedented injuries—Vinicius playing as a right wing-back was easily among the top five strangest moments. But when viewed in context, Zidane’s decision in the second leg of the 2021 UEFA Champions League semi-final was a direct consequence of the absence of Lucas Vázquez.

The scenario then was not entirely different from what Real Madrid face now. Between October 2020 and April 2021, Dani Carvajal was sidelined with injuries on five separate occasions, missing a staggering total of 60 games for both club and country. Zidane was forced to experiment—Fede Valverde and even Ferland Mendy were tried at right-back, but it was Lucas Vázquez who truly came to the rescue. In that grueling season, Lucas played 24 LaLiga games, starting 21 of them—his highest number of starts in a league campaign for Madrid.

His contribution went far beyond defensive cover. Only Toni Kroos (185) delivered more crosses than Lucas Vázquez (144) for Madrid in LaLiga that season. In terms of shot-creating actions, Lucas ranked among the elite, trailing only Kroos, Luka Modric, and Karim Benzema. When it came to goal-creating actions, the same trio of geniuses edged him out, but Lucas remained indispensable in attack. Even when it came to touches inside the penalty area, only Vinicius Jr., Marco Asensio, and Benzema recorded more.

Lucas Vázquez wasn’t just a stand-in; he was a two-way force, instrumental in both defense and attack during one of the strangest and most demanding seasons in recent memory. Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, and Raphael Varane were all sidelined at various points. Yet in the midst of the chaos, Lucas Vázquez emerged as an indispensable asset. Only Casemiro and Luka Modric recorded more tackles and interceptions than Lucas that season, and when it came to tackles alone, he was second only to Casemiro in the aggregate numbers. Lucas was a relentless two-way force, both defending and pushing forward. However, his impressive campaign was cruelly cut short against Barcelona, under the pouring rain at Valdebebas, when a ligament strain brought his season to an abrupt end.

Since Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival in 2021-22, we haven’t seen Vázquez take on such a prolonged and prominent role. In the meantime, Dani Carvajal has flourished. After giving up gluten and transforming his diet, Carvajal elevated his game, arguably becoming the best right-back in the world. His contributions helped Real Madrid secure two Champions League titles during Ancelotti’s second stint, with Carvajal even named Man of the Match in their most recent European triumph. Now, he stands as one of Madrid’s and Spain’s primary captains, and replacing him has always been a daunting task for Lucas Vázquez—perhaps never more so than now.

Despite the challenges, Lucas has continued to maintain a high level of performance, enough to retain his place in Madrid’s squad, albeit primarily as Carvajal’s deputy. Last season, during Madrid’s domestic double-winning campaign, he played a crucial role. He won a penalty against Barcelona at the Bernabéu, scored a goal, and assisted Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time winner. In a twist of fate, however, his impactful performance still wasn’t enough to earn him the Man of the Match award—a reflection, perhaps, of his role as the unsung hero in this star-studded squad.

A crucial aspect of Dani Carvajal’s game is his reliability in possession, especially when Real Madrid look to build from the right flank. His composure and precision in advancing the ball are integral to the team’s progression. In comparison, Lucas Vázquez, while capable, doesn’t quite measure up in this area. His numbers, understandably, fall short of Carvajal’s when it comes to ball retention and facilitating play from deep. This disparity highlights the subtle but significant drop-off in stability when Lucas is tasked with this responsibility—a factor that could influence Madrid’s tempo and flow in build-up play during Carvajal’s absence.

When comparing the profiles of Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vázquez, it’s evident that while the two share several similarities, particularly in their attacking contribution, Lucas shows some defensive vulnerabilities. A side-by-side analysis using our in-house Zauberpass app reveals striking parallels in their passing patterns, largely influenced by Real Madrid’s tactical setup. However, a key difference emerges in their positioning: Lucas’ heatmap shows slightly deeper touches compared to Carvajal’s, hinting at a more conservative positioning off the ball.

Lucas exhibits a more daring approach in the final third, particularly with his take-ons inside the box, where he appears more adventurous than Carvajal. Yet, this attacking edge comes with the trade-off of less defensive reliability, something that could become a focal point in the coming weeks as Vázquez steps in for his more defensively sound counterpart.

When Real Madrid resume their campaign, it seems highly improbable that Carlo Ancelotti will entertain any unconventional ideas for replacing Dani Carvajal. Options such as deploying Eder Militao, Fede Valverde, or even Antonio Rudiger in that role are unlikely to be considered unless Lucas Vázquez himself is sidelined through injury or suspension. The club’s unwavering belief in Vázquez was evident, as they completely dismissed any notion of seeking reinforcements in the transfer market, swiftly quashing any related speculation.

Now, the moment has arrived for Lucas to rediscover the form he displayed during the 2020-21 season. With a grueling fixture list ahead, much will depend on how well he fills Carvajal’s shoes. His performance during this stretch could prove pivotal for Madrid’s ambitions this season.