Julen Lopetegui has already started making a difference in Real Madrid training
By Ben Sundock
New Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui has been running training sessions for just over a week now and the changes he has implemented to the team have already started to make an impact. Let’s take a closer look.
Communication, more work with the ball, and a personal connection with the new boss are just a few words Los Blancos players who have been training in Madrid over the last week have used to describe their new Spanish manager.
The change in mentality among the players has been quite noticeable in these early weeks as players such as Dani Ceballos, Jesús Vallejo, and other Spanish international members try to prove they are worthy of receiving regular minutes this coming season.
The communication has also been great between the boss and at times outcast players such as Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale. Bale felt that he didn’t get enough minutes a year ago and was especially upset by the lack of starts he was given in the Champions League.
Benzema, on the other hand, had the backing of former manager and fellow Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, but the number nine struggled in front of goal until the last few games of the campaign.
While talking with his new players and getting to know them better on a personal level, Lopetegui has also instituted several new ways the players can improve both their dribbling and passing in training.
While Zizou loved to condition the players and send them on long runs with Pintus, the head physio under the former and now current manager, that had them running laps upon laps around the training ground, Julen has chosen to focus on conditioning with the ball.
According to the reports from Marca, the only times the players don’t use the ball is when warming up and stretching. Otherwise, it is strictly foot skills, shooting, and passing. Seeing these news made me both happy and excited for what’s to come.
Next. Real Madrid looking towards Edison Cavani to fill the void. dark
On his way out of the club, Zidane said that the club needed a change in mentality after his two and a half year tenure. I found this hard to believe at first, but now, I am starting to believe that he was right. Things start to become stagnant when one coach is in charge of a team for too long in this game.
While Zinedine Zidane will go down as one of the best coaches in Real Madrid history, the time had come for change to be implemented. Julen Lopetegui is already proving to have a positive influence on this team.