Real Madrid are champions of Spain for the first time since the 2011/2012 season thanks to Zinedine Zidane and his fantastic coaching all season. Real were able to defeat Malaga 2-0 on the road thanks to an early goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, and a second half brace from Karim Benzema. Ben Sundock gives you three takeaways from Real Madrid’s last match of the year in La Liga.
The Brazilians were brilliant, again
Real Madrid haven’t banked on the play of left back Marcelo and holding midfielder Casemiro, but they’ve lived and died by the play of these two regulars in the starting XI. Once again, in La Roselada, Marcelo and Casemiro were nothing short of amazing as they held Malaga away from Keylor Navas, and contributed on the attack as well.
Marcelo was up to his usual tricks working down the left wing, as the 29 year-old kept putting himself in the right positions to score, twice taking shots just over the bar, and providing the usual flurry of crosses into Benzema and Ronaldo.
Casemiro was a great “fifth defender” in the formation as he stayed back and stopped all attacking chances from Malaga through the middle for the majority of the match, forcing them wide to the flanks were compatriots Danilo and Marcelo were able to close them down.
Danilo had a surprisingly great game (I am still not the biggest fan of his) dealing with Jony and Pablo Fornals for the entirety of the match, especially in the first half, as the graphic below shows.
Zidane relied heavily on these Brazilian players all year, and they didn’t let him down on the final match day, securing Los Blancos their 10th shutout of the La Liga season.
Keylor Navas, the Costa Rican Beast
It appears that Keylor Navas heard the critics, like us here at The Real Champs, and turned his game around completely in the final two months of the season. In the last match of the La Liga campaign, Navas showed why he should be the starting goalkeeper next season.
It was another great performance from Navas, to cap off a string of great performances to close out the year, as Navas made 6 saves against Malaga, earning him Man of the Match honors according to WhoScored.
Navas’ play in the Champions League and the league has been equally as impressive, shutting out Atletico Madrid twice this year, and holding Sevilla to just 1, while making 5 saves.
This match tonight could’ve very easily have been 1-1 had Navas not made a diving save on a Malaga free kick in the 21st minute, one of a few great first half saves from Keylor.
Keylor’s play at the end of the year, I believe, should earn him a place in the starting XI going into next season. If Navas can keep this momentum going into the summer and into the start of next year, there’s no need to spend a ton of money on a goalkeeper when there is a very adept one already in the squad.
Not to mention, Kiko Casilla was impressive in his 11 appearances in the league and in the Copa Del Rey, serving as a very good second string.
Zinedine Zidane is Not a Lucky Manager, He’s a Good One
You don’t win the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the La Liga title as a “lucky manager.” Zinedine Zidane is by no means a lucky manager. He solidified that tonight with a resounding two goal win.
Many have been critical of Zidane, claiming he doesn’t have the tactical mind needed to be a successful manager in Spain. Clearly that’s not the case, as his team this year haven’t lost in the Champions League, and lost just three matches in the league.
While Zidane might not be the best manager in terms of tactics in the match, his match preparation and his understanding of his lineup are otherworldly.
Zidane just became the 7th manager in Real Madrid’s HISTORY to win 4+ titles with the club, and the quickest one to do so EVER. pic.twitter.com/7qxDQfQuHm
— Real Madrid Stats (@RMadrid_Stats) May 21, 2017
He was a hero at the club as a player and now, he’s a hero as a manager.
Next: Real Madrid are the 2016-2017 Champions of La Liga!