The FIFA Best award ceremony was something of a clean sweep for Real Madrid with Zinedine Zidane named best coach and Cristiano Ronaldo best player.
Ironic then, that is those two who are now most under pressure as the reigning European and Spanish champions look to arrest their domestic slide.
The 2-1 defeat to Girona on Sunday has left them eight points adrift of leaders Barcelona and it means their Champions League trip to Tottenham takes on even greater significance.
Europe has been a source of comfort for Los Blancos with one-off performances against Borussia Dortmund a highlight this season and they will hope for a repeat at Wembley.
However, problems will need to be rectified so we look at four issues currently curtailing Zidane’s side.
There are only two men currently averaging more than six shots per game in La Liga and predictably they are Cristiano Ronaldo (6.7) and Lionel Messi (6.4).
That’s were the similarities end, though. Messi has plundered 12 goals in 10 games with Ronaldo only managing a single solitary finish in six appearances.
The Portuguese has had a total of 40 shots for a conversation rate of 2.5 percent, which is the worst in Europe’s top-five leagues, and his deeply unimpressive form is one of the biggest concerns for Real right now.
Fortunately, the narrative has been decidedly different in Europe. The 32-year-old is the Champions League’s joint top scorer with five in three but it’s not enough to distract from his Jekyll and Hyde 2017 which serves as a manifestation for the club’s change in fortunes after last season’s success.
Now, a mitigating circumstance is of course his four-game ban at the start of the campaign but regardless a misfiring Ronaldo is a problem and Zidane will hope his star man begins to click sooner rather than later.
A dejected Ronaldo after Girona’s second goal
It’s unfair to lay complete blame on Ronaldo because Real’s problems were evident during his four-game suspension.
Indeed, their first three results at the Bernabeu were draws against Levante and Valencia and a defeat to Real Betis and all were hallmarked by a perceived lack of energy and ultimately effort.
The last 12 months have been relentless for Real with the Club World Cup in Japan last December and their gruelling four-game pre-season tour of the United States exemplary of their tiresome travels.
That fatigue appears to have been coupled with an inherent lack of motivation, though.
Naturally, a dip was expected after last season’s double was followed up with matching Super Cup triumphs over Manchester United and Barcelona but to lose focus and vitality quite in the manner they have is alarming.
They were well beaten by Girona who simply wanted it more and Zidane has to find a way to reinstall a winning mentality.
Real Madrid celebrate last season’s Champions League triumph
Real have been applauded for their nurturing of home grown talents and a prudent approach to a chaotic summer transfer window but it’s also now part of the rationale for their early season troubles.
The reason Real accepted the departures of Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez, Pepe and Danilo was because of their eye on the future with replacements Borja Mayoral, Dani Ceballos, Marcos Llorente and Achraf Hakimi all expected to solve both a short and long term issue.
While the latter could still come to fruition with a degree of patience, presently it’s left Zidane a little short of options with their form inconsistent.
Striker Mayoral wasn’t even in the squad at the weekend, right-back Hakimi was brought off at 2-1 down while Llorente has just two league starts this season and Ceballos, although impressive, has been battling for a spot in an already congested midfield.
Options at centre-half, right back and up front are limited and the inability to rotate under-performing individuals has left Madrid looking a little light.
Borja Mayoral and Mateo Kovacic after Real’s 2-2 draw with Valencia
Zidane was crowned FIFA’s Best Coach but even the Frenchman acknowledged there are many better than he in world football.
It’s difficult to comprehend now because of the success he’s enjoyed with Madrid but the 45-year-old is only just coming up to two years as senior boss so perhaps this is to be expected.
On trophies alone it was hard to look past Zizou when it comes to dishing out the awards but right now his limited tactical acumen is being laid bare.
Last season his man-management skills kept everyone in the squad happy and that quality is perhaps his best.
But Real need a coach. His mid-game switch to a back three didn’t alter the course of the result on Sunday and finding the solutions has never been his strongest attribute.
Working with talented individuals and moulding a cohesive framework around them has been his method to success but Los Blancos need to change it up and so far he’s not shown the capability to do that.
Zidane’s change of tactics failed to have an impact against Girona
