Under David Aznar, Real Madrid Femenino had the worst start to the season, losing five games in a row, drawing two, and winning four. Real Madrid fired coach David Aznar after earning only 14 points out of a possible 33 and finishing 10th in the league table, despite failing to score a goal in every one of their five losses.
Alberto Toril, a former Castilla manager, has been named to fill the void left by David Aznar’s departure. Toril helped the squad go from 10th to third place in the league, securing a WUCL spot for the next season.
Who were the five most important players on the field who helped Toril in carrying out his strategy? Continue reading to find out:
CM Claudia Zornoza
Real Madrid and magicians in the midfield are a match made in heaven. Claudia Zornoza was voted Real Madrid’s player of the season after starting all 28 games she played in and scoring two goals, ten assists, and one penalty. Real Madrid Femenino may have fallen 5-2 to Barcelona in a historic encounter at Camp Nou, but Claudia’s goal is one to remember.
Zornoza had possession of the ball in the centre circle, but a strong first touch caused it to flee and skip many yards forward before she was able to regain control. Her third touch was a clean through ball, with her left boot lifting the ball into the air and skying it over Barcelona’s high defensive line, arcing over 30-yards before dropping as it reached the goal.
GK Maria Isabel (Misa)
The 22-year-old Spanish goalkeeper, who won the Zamora trophy in her first-ever league season with Real Madrid and the Golden Glove in her first-ever WUCL season, was another important element in Real Madrid’s achievement.
UEFA has recognised her as one of the stars to watch in 2022. A level of play in front of the net that she demonstrated at Real Madrid, when she led the European classification last season by conceding less than one goal per game in the League. This season, her good stops have continued. As a result, Madrid’s Spanish international keeps growing.
CB Babett Peter
Babett, who announced her retirement after this season, was a vital player of Real Madrid’s backline. Peter played approximately 28 games in her debut season with Real Madrid, but after earning the manager’s and teammates’ trust, the German international has played more than 30 games this season.
The experience of Babett Peter, one of Real Madrid’s most decorated players, prepared the way for our defensive backline. It’s been fascinating to see her work with Ivana Andreas. Babett discusses her hardships on her road to becoming a football player in her letter.
“And recently I came to realise that I have a responsibility to tell young girls what is possible to achieve in life through sports, no matter what troubles you might be dealing with. ” says Peter, who was bullied because she has Facial Nerve Palsy, a medical condition that affects the nerve controlling muscles in her face.
ST Esther Gonzalez
With a total of 17 goals, Esther Gonzalez has five assists and is Real Madrid’s leading goal scorer this season. Esther stood up for the club and scored key goals while Kosovare Asllani was injured for half of the season and Nahikari Garcia was having a bad season.
The 29-year-old attacker was instrumental in the team’s promotion to the UWCL. She has been an important player of the offensive three, finding her form late in the season and averaging 0.22 goals per 90 minutes, which I believe falls short of her potential.
LB/LW Olga Carmona
Despite playing out of her position as a left back she excelled there. Olga’s performances this season have not only impressed Real Madrid but also Jorge Vilda, the Spanish national team coach. Her athletic strength and unbalanced play as a winger, rather than her natural extreme position, have pushed her to the forefront of national football’s recent sensations.
Jorge Vilda has been unable to ignore this fact. “She’s been knocking on the National Team’s door all season.” After delivering the call, in which Olga was the major news, the Spanish coach said, “She is ready to be here and make her debut.”
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She has scored only 5 goals this season but every single one of them has been crucial. Olga playing more minutes in her natural position as a left winger would be beneficial to the team and she has shown that time and again. When the 21-year-old came out to the pitch at Camp Nou, she knew she had faced Sandra Paos from 12-yards previously, with 90,000 spectators booing and shouting at her. Olga, on the other hand, did not falter as the noisy culés had predicted, but instead caressed the spot-kick home. At the end of the day, it was just a penalty kick, but it was scored under the tensest of circumstances.