Here are two moments to explain why VfB Stuttgart’s deluge of offside runs was effective at creating space and confusion for Real Madrid’s back line and second line. Make a run offside, cut back onside, while simultaneously the next man runs offside.

Running into an offside position is a powerful tactic for a forward. If the ball is played through, you have to remain behind the ball to be deemed onside. When the forwards run into an offside position, behind the Real Madrid defense, they are getting a jump start if the ball is played through.

When Deniz Undav and Chris Führich make that initial run offside behind Real Madrid’s defense, they move into the defender’s blind spot. The defender can’t track them visually. It can become confusing for Real Madrid’s defense to try to track each dummy run.

Then, the runner checks back to the ball, timing their run to arrive in an onside position just as the ball is played.

Pair that with a simple pass and move run from deep, and VfB Stuttgart could walk their way through the center of Real Madrid’s defense into their penalty box.

Because they are good at timing their checkback runs to get onside, it is hard to know which run to ignore.

Aurélien Tchouameni runs back to help Real Madrid’s defense when Deniz Undav is far offside. He was afraid of that ball in behind, but that creates space for VfB Stuttgart’s midfielders in the zone that Tchouameni vacated.

There were dozens and dozens of moments like this throughout the match, and it is the reason why VfB Stuttgart posed a threat in the first half.

Match: Real Madrid 3-1 VfB Stuttgart, 17 September 2024