Zinedine Zidane has reasons to be concerned. Real Madrid announced yesterday that Toni Kroos got injured in the game against Leganés in the fifth metatarsal and he should be out of the pitch between 4 and 6 weeks, so it’s very likely that the German midfielder cannot play in 2016 again.
With Casemiro out of the fields for 2 or 3 weeks more, Zidane has to look for solutions. The first game will be a huge test against Atlético Madrid in the capital derby. Luckily, Luka Modric came back against Leganés, so he should be ready to start at Vicente Calderón stadium but there are two other positions left.
The most likely solution for Zidane is to insert in the line-up Isco and Mateo Kovacic. Both played really well together when Modric and Casemiro were out of the team. However, in these games, Kroos was playing as a stopper, and now Zidane has run out of options for these positions.
No matter the solution Zidane finds, it’s going to be a very offensive team. Kovacic or Modric are not defensive midfielders, but both should change their role for the following games and help in defence. The same applies to Isco, who could play in the midfield.
With Benzema injured, another solution could be playing with only two strikers -Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale- and put four midfielders. In this case, James Rodríguez will have his chance, together with Isco, Modric and Kovacic. Real Madrid should have the ball then, with four really skilled footballers.
There is another option for Zinedine Zidane: try as a stopper another player. Sergio Ramos played El Clásico once as a defensive midfielder. In El Clasico in 2010, Carlo Ancelotti tried to play with the Spaniard as a stopper and it was a big mistake. He changed then in the second half with Illarramendi but Real Madrid lost that game. For this reason, it’s very unlikely that Zidane choose to put Sergio Ramos in the midfield.
Taking all this in consideration, Kovacic and Isco are the key players for Zidane in the month of November. Both need to change their role and adapt themselves to a defensive position. Would they be able to do that?
i think zidane is doing his job really well
highly unlikely that he will lose or draw
I’m also pretty sure that he will use kovacic modric n isco and all three will help in defense.
#halamadrid