Real Madrid: ¡Muchas gracias, Zinedine Zidane!
By Parshva Shah
Forming an impenetrable defense
Between 2016 and 2018, Los Blancos boasted one of the most venomous attacks in world football, as Cristiano Ronaldo delivered over 40-50 goals per season in unison with Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema who formed a crucial partnership and scored goals left, right, and center.
Amidst the gluttony of goals, Real Madrid’s defense was shaky and questionable at times. The chinks were totally exposed in the armor come the 2018-19 season, where the absence of Ronaldo left Real Madrid completely toothless in attack while the defense wasn’t all that good either.
Zidane did sign Eden Hazard from Chelsea in the summer of 2019 in a bid to replace the void left by Ronaldo (not entirely, though) and Luka Jović from Eintracht Frankfurt. While the former was subjected to injuries throughout the season, the latter wasn’t given enough minutes to find his goal-scoring rhythm.
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Zidane knew he didn’t have to have someone like Ronaldo who would carry the entire attack of the team on his shoulders, which is why he shifted the focus on strengthening the defense of the team instead.
Ferland Mendy was hands down the signing of the season and has emerged as the best defensive full-back in European football. Dethroning someone like Marcelo – who has had a colossal impact on the team’s fortunes in the past – is a great achievement, especially in the first season itself.
Real Madrid conceded just 25 goals in La Liga, the lowest in the top five European Leagues,and statistically one of the strongest defenses in the history of the club.