Zinedine Zidane has done it again. Just like in 2016, he has taken a struggling side and turned them into a competitive one.
It has cost far more this time round in terms of transfer fees in comparison to his first stint in charge at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu some three years ago, but the results are undeniable.
Zidane has shown that he is more than a coach. He might not have the best tactical nous, but his communication skills and penchant for bold decision-making have been instrumental thus far in Real Madrid’s evolution.
From his first spell as a head coach, it was the inclusion of Brazilian midfield destroyer Casemiro that proved to be the catalyst that led to Los Blancos winning three straight Champions Leagues and now, in 2019, the versatility of players such as Fede Valverde and Rodrygo has revitalized the team.
Zidane’s decision to choose Valverde over established stars such as Luka Modric and Toni Kroos has been vindicated time and time again, with strong performances by the Uruguayan youngster going some way to gloss over Real Madrid’s repeated failure to land Manchester United and France midfield star Paul Pogba in recent transfer windows.
The Frenchman has also defied calls to play Isco, Vinicius, James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale instead of Brazilian forward Rodrygo and has been rewarded with key goal contributions and an invaluable work rate on the pitch.
That is the beauty of Zidane, as he sees through labels, transfer fees, reputation, and age and selects players according to how they fit into his matchday tactics.
Los Blancos’ backline has also been shored up in recent months, conceding only 10 goals in 13 LaLiga Santander games, thanks in no small part to a resurgent Thibaut Courtois, who has gone on to break his predecessor Keylor Navas’ record for minutes without conceding following a difficult first season in the Spanish capital.
Another Belgian, Eden Hazard, has also linked up nicely upfront with Karim Benzema under Zidane and it seems that Real Madrid is finally starting to recover from the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo in the attack.
All that remains for Real Madrid’s head coach now is to find a way to get the best out of the bit-part players.
If Zidane can continue to build harmony within his squad, then it seems that there is no reason why his side can’t go on to repeat the successes of his first tenure in the dugout.
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