Real Madrid plays on June 14, and Zinedine Zidane has decisions to make.
The moment is here. La Liga is coming back on June 11. Real Madrid fans will see their team kick the ball for the first time on June 14th since the league was postponed after Mar. 8.
While there is a lot to be excited about, Zidane has several questions he needs to answer about his team selection. There are 11 games still to play in La Liga within five weeks. Those are a lot of games in a limited time window, and with the players returning from a long break, it is essential to keep them fresh and fit.
Los Blancos are two points behind league leaders Barcelona, and the Frenchman will be aiming to secure maximum points from the remaining fixtures. Any injuries along the way might be detrimental to the Royal Whites league title hopes. So here are the three squad questions Zidane has to answer before La Liga returns.
1. Who will be the starting third attacker when Real Madrid returns?
Karim Benzema seems to be a lock in the starting XI for the Whites manager. He is the leading goal scorer for Real Madrid this season and second only to Lionel Messi in the league. Eden Hazard is back to full fitness, and will most likely be starting in the left-wing. However, the third attacker position is not as clear.
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Before the pandemic stopped play, Zidane has played Gareth Bale, Lucas Vasquez, Rodrygo, and James Rodriguez in the right-wing/midfielder role. Sometimes, the Three-Peat winning manager played Isco Alarcon on the free role in a 4-3-1-2 system.
Marco Asensio is also back from his long term injury, and Zidane has also called up Renier Jesus from Castilla.
There are rumors that the Frenchman prefers Asensio in the right-wing, but with his recent return from injury, it will be unwise to play him two times a week.
Vinicius Junior is another option for the Madrid manager; the only issue is that the Brazilian has not started alongside Hazard.
Zidane prefers the teenager on the left, and when the Belgian playmaker starts, Vinicius misses out.
Los Blancos boss has to decide how he will want to use the abundance of attacking options he has, and that takes us to our next question.
2. Who will step up and share Real Madrid’s goal-scoring burden with Benzema?
As mentioned above, Benzema is the leading goal-scorer with 14 goals in the league for Real Madrid, while the second-highest goal scorer is Sergio Ramos with five. One of the difficulties Los Blancos have faced this season in their quest for winning La Liga is the lack of contributors in the scoring front other than the French forward.
Rodrygo has shown his finishing ability, but only has two goals in the league. Bale in the past has been a reliable goal-scorer for the Merengues, yet failed to impress this season. Among the other attackers, Luka Jovic has two goals, Vinicius has two, Bale has two, Vasquez has two, Isco has one, Hazard one, and James one. A total of only 11 goals. No one other than Big Benz has reached double figures.
If the Royal Whites are to win La Liga, they need someone other than the French forward to step up and carry the goal-scoring burden. With a fully fit Hazard and Asensio returning, there is hope for the Madridistas that Los Blancos will be more prolific than they were before the games stopped in front of the goal.
3. How will Zidane rotate his midfield players on Real Madrid?
How Zidane rotates his midfield will be critical in securing maximum points from the remaining games. As mentioned earlier, with 11 games in five weeks, it is imperative to keep players fresh and fit. The likes of Casemiro and Toni Kroos are indispensable, and the Merengues cannot afford to lose either of them through injuries.
It is not a matter of if Zidane rotates the midfield, but how effective will he do so. The best possible midfield combination for the Frenchman is to roll out with the trio of Casemiro, Kroos, and Fede Valverde. However, it will not be possible to play all three of them in every single game. Currently, the Royal Whites do not have a direct backup for Casemiro, and not playing Kroos against Manchester City saw them lose control in the midfield.
Los Blancos also have Luka Modric who can easily give one of the three mentioned above a rest. They also have Isco and James, not as seamless of a fit in the midfield three, but it will be up to the Merengues boss on how he will utilize them in the rotation. His decisions will be pivotal in maintaining the players’ fitness and winning games.