Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu was a statement victory, one that helped Los Blancos extend their lead over the Catalans at the top of the league table.
Among the many talking points of the night, one of the biggest surprises was Eduardo Camavinga’s new role on the pitch.
The Frenchman, known for his versatility, operated as a right-winger for stretches of the match, a position few would have predicted.
Yet, Alonso’s experiment paid off handsomely, with Camavinga recording 22 of 26 passes completed, eight ground duels won, three dribbles completed, and just one ball lost.
The 21-year-old later joked on social media, writing, “New position unlocked: right winger,” a post that quickly went viral among Madrid fans.
Humour aside, the decision to deploy Camavinga as a right-winger is indicative of Alonso’s intent to make Real Madrid more fluid, flexible, and unpredictable.
Alonso, who has long admired Camavinga’s adaptability, hinted earlier this season that the Frenchman would be “an essential piece” in his evolving system, reports MARCA.
"He has enormous potential and many qualities. He’s not static, he’s dynamic," the coach had said.
That belief seems to be paying off, as Camavinga has become the embodiment of Madrid’s high-tempo, intelligent style under Alonso.
Camavinga excelling in his new position also points to the fact that, with the right kind of fluidity, Real Madrid can easily dominate the season despite having a relative lack of depth when compared to other top teams.
What will be interesting to see, however, is whether or not Alonso decides to deploy Camavinga in the right-winger role more often during the course of the season.