With Zinedine Zidane prowling the technical area again, Real Madrid welcome Huesca to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday for their latest La Liga encounter.
All hopes of securing silverware this season are lost. Eliminated from the Champions League at the hands of Ajax, Los Merengues were also ousted by Barcelona in the semi-finals of Copa del Rey.
All that’s up for grabs now is a runners-up finish in the league, one that the Catalans are running away with as they have stolen a 13-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid.
Zidane will instead focus on his own side and the inner workings of it against Huesca. A rebuilding job is underway and how they finish this season will have a huge bearing on how they begin the next.
FEEL-GOOD FACTOR
This season remains Madrid’s worst in recent memory and all the issues that conspired to bring them to this point haven’t magically disappeared the moment Zidane walked through the Bernabeu doors again.
The Frenchman won a phenomenal nine trophies during his first spell at the club that only spanned over two and a half seasons. However, he’ll be first to admit that he has a massive job on his hands, just 10 months after leaving the team crowned European champions for a third successive year.
There were glimpses of the old Los Blancos swagger in his first game back – a 2-0 victory over Celta Vigo – but they were few and far between. Nevertheless, his mere presence on the touchline seemed to have a positive effect on his side and indeed the atmosphere within the stadium.
Granted, Zidane seemed to bring about an immediate improvement to certain aspects of Madrid’s play. A fluidity in attack was noticeable with the front three interchanging at will. Of course, the intent may have featured more prominently than the execution but positive signs nonetheless.
Real still have cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid in their sights. Only two points separate them and overtaking Diego Simeone’s side would at least secure a second place finish in La Liga.
Zidane’s mere presence has brought a feel-good factor to the club amid dark times. Call it nostalgia, misguided faith or blind optimism but the Madrid hierarchy will be desperate for the Frenchman to maintain his spell over the club and its fans until he can genuinely improve the team.
ZIDANE NEEDS BALE SPARK
The relationship between Gareth Bale and Zidane is strained to say the least. The Welshman found himself benched on numerous occasions during the 46-year-old’s first spell at club. He even started the 2018 Champions League final as a substitute before coming on to score one of the finest goals the competition has ever seen, winning the game in the process.
So often a scapegoat in the Spanish capital, Zidane must turn to Bale for a sprinkling of stardust. Vinicius Jr, with his youthful exuberance, pace and trickery often posed the only discernible threat in attack for Madrid this season. With the Brazilian injured, that responsibility is returned to Bale.
The former Tottenham winger has the ability to carry the ball forward and make things happen. He scored the only goal in the first fixture against Huesca this season and also struck in Zidane’s first game back. While the team find their feet, they need Bale to let his do the talking.
HOPE FOR HUESCA
Huesca have been punching above their weight all season but still find themselves bottom of the La Liga standings. Their defence and attack are both among the worst in the division but to label them hapless would be doing them a disservice.
As mentioned earlier, only a solitary Bale strike was the difference between these sides in their last meeting. Even though they lost their last two games against Getafe and Alaves, their win over Sevilla in early March proves they aren’t lacking in fight.
Villarreal in 17th place are only seven points ahead so all is not lost yet. Their first ever trip to the Bernabeu on Sunday is also something of a free-hit. There is no expectation of a result from their side and there’s a certain freedom to that. Defeat against Madrid will not seal their fate. It’s games like the following one at home to Celta Vigo which decide their La Liga status for next season.
