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Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid: Assessing his first full season back, from transfers to tactics

Zidane locks horns with Guardiola for the first time in a competitive match on Wednesday night: Getty Images
Zidane locks horns with Guardiola for the first time in a competitive match on Wednesday night: Getty Images

It has been just over a year since Zinedine Zidane returned to the Real Madrid job as the Frenchman replaced former team-mate Santiago Solari and signed a three-year contract last March.

Solari's sacking followed Los Blancos' humiliating 4-1 defeat and Champions League exit at home to Ajax and Zidane came back with the team already out of the Copa del Rey and also off the pace in LaLiga.

Zidane's side suffered four defeats in the remaining 11 fixtures and finished in third place as the returning hero, who had led the club to three successive Champions League crowns in his first spell in charge, admitted it was difficult to motivate his players with no trophies at stake.

Pre-season was also tough as Madrid lost to Bayern Munich, Tottenham and Atletico on tour. The 7-3 defeat to the Rojiblancos set the alarm bells ringing, but Zidane said: "For us it was a friendly. For them it wasn't."

There was an element of truth in that, but the quotes did not justify the scoreline and the whole summer proved difficult for Zidane as Gareth Bale's exit fell through after the Frenchman had said he hoped it was completed "as soon as possible" and no new midfielder was signed.

None of that was ideal preparation for the new campaign, but Zidane seemed relieved when Real returned to competitive action in August. Here, Standard Sport takes a look at how he has fared so far in his first full season back at the Bernabeu...

Results

Zidane knows Real Madrid better than most and the Frenchman is under no illusions: he is well aware that his job safety at the Santiago Bernabeu will depend on one thing – results.

In LaLiga, despite a shaky start, those have mostly been good. Madrid have lost just three times in the league all season, with two of those defeats having come in the last three games before the competition was suspended last month due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Zinedine Zidane’s side were deservedly beaten by Real Betis in their last league match Photo: AP
Zinedine Zidane’s side were deservedly beaten by Real Betis in their last league match Photo: AP

That leaves Los Blancos two points behind Barcelona with 11 fixtures remaining. Zidane's side are also out of the Copa del Rey after losing 4-3 at home to Real Sociedad in early February.

In the Champions League, meanwhile, their hopes hang in the balance. Real lost 2-1 at home to Manchester City in the teams' last-16 first leg and captain Sergio Ramos is suspended for the return, whenever that takes place.

Zidane has won a trophy, though, as Madrid beat Atletico on penalties to claim the Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia back in January – his 10th piece of silverware as Real coach and the first since he came back last March.

Tactics

Ahead of the 2018 Champions League Final against Liverpool, Zidane said: "I'm not the best coach tactically, I can say that. I don't have to say it though because all of you (the journalists) say it!"

There were certainly question marks early in the season as Madrid looked just as shaky as they had last term in their early games, with the same players on the pitch and the midfield trio of Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos now clearly too slow and static at the highest level.

The Frenchman was not helped by an injury to Eden Hazard on the eve of the season, with fellow summer signing Ferland Mendy also out at the start of the campaign.

The left-back made Madrid more solid on his return, while the emergence of Fede Valverde in midfield transformed the team during an unbeaten run lasting over three months between mid-October and early February.

Zidane has played 4-3-3, 4-4-2 and also 4-5-1 with five midfielders this term. The best performances have come with Valverde helping to shore up the midfield and the defence has been largely solid, but some strange selections in the past few weeks saw Madrid relinquish their lead in LaLiga and also lose to Manchester City in Europe – and those calls could be very costly if and when the season resumes.

Transfers

Ins

Real Madrid's rebuilding project did not quite materialise last summer and it is going to take at least one more transfer window for Zidane to tailor his squad into one capable of challenging on all fronts.

Much was expected of Hazard after the Belgian joined from Chelsea for €100million plus €30m in variables, but the 29-year-old was out of shape on arrival in the summer, missed the start of the season with injury, then picked up a serious ankle problem in November and was sidelined again on only his second game back.

In total, he has played just 15 games, scoring one goal.

Eden Hazard has struggled with injury during his first season under idol Zidane Photo: REUTERS
Eden Hazard has struggled with injury during his first season under idol Zidane Photo: REUTERS

Left-back Mendy has impressed after his €48m move from Lyon, with Madrid much better defensively when he is in the team instead of Marcelo, but Eder Militao has been a mixed bag so far at centre-back following his €50m signing from Porto.

Goalkeeper Alphonse Areola started well after his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain, but endured a difficult night in the cup exit to Real Sociedad.

Striker Luka Jovic, a €60m purchase from Eintracht Frankfurt, has struggled for goals and has been left out of the squad recently.

So too has 19-year-old forward Rodrygo, but the Brazilian has impressed following his €45m transfer from Flamengo and should go on to become one of the world's best at Real.

Outs

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas left for PSG in a €15m deal as Thibaut Courtois was installed as first choice, a decision which was questioned by fans and the media at the time but one which has worked out after some superb showings from the Belgian this season.

Marcos Llorente was sold to Atletico for €30m and has not really been missed, although Casemiro is the one player in Madrid's squad without an obvious back-up and Real would be in trouble if the Brazilian were to suffer an injury.

Martin Odegaard has shone during a loan stint at Real Sociedad Photo: Getty Images
Martin Odegaard has shone during a loan stint at Real Sociedad Photo: Getty Images

Dani Ceballos, loaned to Arsenal, probably would not have played much, while Mateo Kovacic (€45m to Chelsea) and Theo Hernandez (€20m to AC Milan) had already spent time out on loan and were not part of Zidane's plans.

Left-back Sergio Reguilon should have a future at Madrid once his loan at Sevilla ends, but Mendy's signing and Marcelo staying meant there was no room for him in the squad.

One player who would have been useful is Martin Odegaard, who has been brilliant on loan at Real Sociedad.

Man-management

There is little doubt that Zidane's greatest virtue as coach is his man-management skills. While others find it extremely difficult to keep everyone happy in a large squad, the Frenchman's ability to make all his players feel important and bring them back in after a period of inactivity is impressive.

Zidane managed to get Bale back on board after a summer in which he looked certain to leave and although the Welsh winger has faded since the turn of the year, he contributed at the start of the season with Hazard sidelined.

Isco has been brought back into the fold over recent months Photo: AP
Isco has been brought back into the fold over recent months Photo: AP

The Madrid coach also reintroduced Isco to great effect when the midfielder appeared to be condemned to ostracism after barely featuring in the opening months, while he has carefully managed an ageing Modric and recovered the best versions of Courtois, Raphael Varane and Casemiro after all were below standard in 2018-19.

Even Marcelo has looked better and played well in the latest Clasico, while Vinicius Junior has shone after being left out for several weeks. Rodrygo's transition into the first-team picture was handled very well and praised by the Brazilian this week.

Youth

Many of Real Madrid's young players are expensive signings, so it is not as if Zidane is handing opportunities to academy players, but he has shown a willingness to trust in youth.

Vinicius and Rodrygo are still both only 19 and the two Brazilians have featured a fair bit this term, while 21-year-old Valverde has become a fixture in the team for the biggest games in 2019-20.

Vinicius Junior has a big part to play in Real Madrid's future Photo: Getty Images
Vinicius Junior has a big part to play in Real Madrid's future Photo: Getty Images

Striker Jovic is only 22 and has received fewer opportunities, largely because Madrid have been playing with only one centre-forward and Karim Benzema is so important to the way they play.

Zidane has described the Serbian as "the future" for Los Blancos, although his place in the squad could be under threat as Real consider bringing in another striker this summer.