Real Madrid: The 3 biggest keys to winning La Liga in 2020-21

Real Madrid need to stay healthy

I would honestly say that the biggest impediment to Real Madrid winning the title is luck. Yes, I understand that’s a cop-out, and if Real do fail to win the title, it is inexcusable for them to blame injuries or bad luck.

But we have to be honest when we are assessing teams and part of a commitment to honesty is a commitment to a degree of fairness in our evaluations. Real Madrid have been extremely unlucky with injuries to this point in the season. Ferland Mendy, Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal, Casemiro, Luka Modric, Fede Valverde, Martin Odegaard, Karim Benzema, Rodrygo Goes, Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Marco Asensio, and Vinicius Junior are all key players who have missed time this season due to injury or illness.

The injuries to Valverde and Benzema derailed their seasons when they were peaking, though Benz is back at his best after a brief lull after the Valencia match. And Hazard’s ongoing injury issues are a consistent annoyance for Madridistas, since they are keeping the club’s biggest superstar off the pitch. We have seen what Real can do with a healthy Hazard, which is why we feel so robbed when he is not healthy.

As with finishing issues, Zinedine Zidane can do absolutely nothing about injuries. If his leaders and star players are out of the lineup and there is no rhythm, what can he do? Can he be blamed? We have seen how great Real are on this six-game winning streak. When they are even mostly healthy, they are at the level of champions. Refer to the win over Atleti as a prime example.

But in a grueling season with games every three to four days and COVID-19 and injuries playing their role, the players and the manager are sometimes at a loss. Los Blancos will need a little bit of luck – or simply the absence of constant misfortune – in order to win the league.