Real Madrid sit rock bottom in La Liga for three key stats under Mourinho

Real Madrid sit rock bottom in La Liga for three key stats under Mourinho Real Madrid’s physical numbers in La Liga have raised eyebrows, but the most revealing statistic is not their total distance covered. Rather, it is the amount of high-intensity running they are producing. According to MARCA , Mourinho’s side are bottom of La Liga for total distance, high-intensity distance and the number of high-intensity actions.  Yet their sprinting numbers tell a slightly different story, suggesting the issue is more about sustained intensity than an inability to accelerate. Real Madrid are bottom in three physical categories Real Madrid average 104.3 kilometres per match, the lowest figure among the 20 teams in La Liga, which is significantly different from the 84km figure that has circulated elsewhere. Total distance includes everything from walking and jogging to recovery runs and pressing movements, meaning the raw number does not tell the complete story. Real Madrid need to work on their high-intensity actions. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images) The more telling figures come at higher speeds. Madrid average 4,975.5 metres of high-intensity running per game, with 338.5 actions recorded at that pace. Surprisingly, both figures are also the lowest in the division. High-intensity running is measured between 19.8 and 25.2 km/h, while sprints are recorded at speeds above 25.2 km/h. A fitness coach from a top-flight team explained the significance of Madrid’s overall, saying: “It’s very rare for an entire team to cover a distance of less than 100 km in a match.” Barcelona show why distance alone does not tell the story The sprint data provides an important qualification. Real Madrid cover 2,248 metres per match at sprinting speed, placing them 11th in La Liga and close to the competition average. To understand it better, one must note that the gap is not primarily about maximum-speed running; it is the volume of work performed at high intensity, a phase often associated with pressing, recovery runs and movement away from the ball. Real Madrid are covering the least ground of all La Liga teams. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images) On that note, Barcelona provide an interesting comparison, as Hansi Flick’s side cover 108.6km per match, yet that only ranks 16th in La Liga for total distance. In other words, Barcelona are also not among the league’s biggest runners by overall mileage. Their difference comes from how that running is distributed across the match. For Real Madrid, that makes the numbers particularly relevant to Mourinho’s tactical approach.  Their sprint output is relatively normal, but the lack of high-intensity volume is where they stand apart from the rest of La Liga.  Understandably, if Real Madrid are to become more aggressive without the ball, that is the physical area that will need to change.