On a night where the bright lights of the Santiago Bernabéu witnessed a 6-1 dismantling of AS Monaco, it was the visionary playmaking of Arda Güler that acted as the heartbeat of Real Madrid’s dominant performance. While Kylian Mbappé grabbed the goals and Vinícius Jr. the headlines, Güler’s tactical intelligence and creative execution proved he is now a vital cog in Alvaro Arbeloa’s European machine.
The Engine of Creativity
From the opening whistle, Güler’s influence was palpable. While Madrid took an early lead through Mbappé, the Turkish international nearly turned provider in the 20th minute, delivering a whipped free-kick so dangerous it forced a panicked clearance from Eric Dier and a spectacular save from Monaco’s Köhn.
However, Güler’s true “magic moment” arrived in the 26th minute. Initiating a move that left the Bernabéu crowd breathless, he collected a back-heel from Camavinga and, while at full sprint, threaded a spectacular needle-threading pass to Vinícius Jr. The sequence culminated in Mbappé’s second goal, but the blueprint of the attack belonged entirely to Güler.
A Masterclass in the “Second Phase”
The second half saw Güler shift from architect to relentless engine. In the 55th minute, his intelligent movement off the ball forced Monaco’s Thilo Kehrer into a desperate own goal following a Vinícius Jr. cross.
Güler’s defensive contribution was equally impactful; in the 63rd minute, it was his high-press recovery in midfield that regained possession to spark Madrid’s fifth goal. He was inches away from finding the scoresheet himself just moments later, as a trademark strike from inside the area skimmed the woodwork, leaving the visitors helpless to his range of threat.
Cementing a Top-Eight Finish
By the time Jude Bellingham added the sixth, the game had long been decided by the creative dominance of the Güler-Vinícius-Mbappé trident. With this victory, Real Madrid officially cements its place in the Champions League top eight with a game to spare.
For Güler, this wasn’t just another win; it was a statement of seniority. Despite his age, his ability to recover balls in the middle third and immediately transition into “killer passes” has made him an undroppable asset for Arbeloa as the knockout rounds loom.