Real Madrid: 3 ways Zinedine Zidane transformed the defense

Change in personnel on the left flank

Real Madrid’s left flank has always been occupied by some legendary names, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo making their mark on the left-wing in the past decade. They are two players who are considered to be the best in their positions in the club history. Ronaldo and Marcelo playing together meant an attacking galore. Their records speak for themselves.

But that attacking treat came at a cost. Marcelo is a full-back who’s known more for his attacking exploits when compared to his defensive contribution. It’s not like he offered nothing in defence, but he couldn’t be a two-way fullback. Though Marcelo’s defensive shortcomings are exaggerated at times, he is someone who has silenced the likes of Lionel Messi and Arjen Robben in the past. But when he crossed the age of 30 in 2017/18, his defensive vulnerabilities became more and more exposed. Frequent injuries didn’t help his case either

Marcelo’s partner on the left, Cristiano Ronaldo, wasn’t someone who could bail out the Brazilian with his support. Until 2013/14 Cristiano Ronaldo used to drop back and help his mate, but after a certain age, his work rate reduced. And Managers never hesitated to give him a free role and relieve him of his defensive duties, because of the magic he could produce at the other end with greater freedom.

With Cristiano leaving, Real Madrid has a winger with a higher work rate on the left despite the reduction in attacking quality, but Marcelo’s defensive failures didn’t help the case. Hence Santiago Solari used the newly promoted Sergio Reguilon over Marcelo as the Spaniard could contribute at both ends. Then arrived Zinedine Zidane after Solari was sacked, who wasn’t satisfied with Reguilon, and requested the board for Ferland Mendy’s signing.

Ferland Mendy was rotated well with Marcelo in 2019-20, but his impact was clearly visible in the games he started. Ever since he made his debut against Villarreal where he bodied Samuel Chukwueze, he has been sensational in defence for Real Madrid. He has been unbeatable in 1v1 situations. Real Madrid didn’t lose a single game in LaLiga that season whenever Ferland Mendy started.

In 2020/21, Marcelo further declined and Ferland Mendy became an undisputed starter. Mendy wasn’t very convincing in attack, but he made for everything with his defensive solidity. He wouldn’t simply let any attacker go past him. He would be occupying higher positions in attack, but he will also be the first player to recover in transition, thanks to his amazing recovery speed.

This change has been questioned by some of the critics, due to Mendy’s not so great crossing and passing abilities in the attack. This also looked like a compromise in the attack, which irked some of the fans who are used to watching an attacking Real Madrid side. But Ferland Mendy solidified the left flank on his own, with considerable support from the usual left-winger Vinicius Jr, who’s known for his high work rate.

Real Madrid’s left flank which was once known for their attacking flair is now known for their defensive strength. But they are still winning the games, particularly in LaLiga. Real Madrid’s left-wing might not produce a moment of magic to score a goal, but they can definitely block any form of danger.