Real Madrid mid-season report card
![HUESCA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 9: Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between SD Huesca v Real Madrid at the Estadio El Alcoraz on December 9, 2018 in Huesca Spain (Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images) HUESCA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 9: Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between SD Huesca v Real Madrid at the Estadio El Alcoraz on December 9, 2018 in Huesca Spain (Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/Soccrates/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/de6ee090a2ffa14eb9fe9ef55eb996ceb71202cb2f631113c5770e71178e3a1f.jpg)
Here we are, halfway through the season and another half coming up that will test each of our players to their absolute limit. Real Madrid played their last game of 2018 and ended the year on a positive note after picking up the FIFA Club World Cup. That will be forgotten if they end the season without more to show and judging by some of the performances so far, that is an extremely real possibility.
Zinedine Zidane left the club in the summer and Julen Lopetegui was the man eventually chosen to take his place. After a bright start for the first couple of games, things took a very unfortunate turn as the results were not coming in and he was slowly losing his authority with the team. Inevitably, the Spaniard was sacked and Santiago Solari was appointed as an Interim Manager in his place. Two weeks later, the Argentine was given a full-time contract and will be our manager until the end of the season (if not longer).
NOTE: It is always difficult to grade players in a way that will have everyone agree with it and there will definitely be some parts that you do not agree with. In the end, this is a personal opinion and it is what seems fair to me. All players that have played the equivalent of a minimum of three matches will be graded. Anyone else will have a grade of “N/A”.