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Real Madrid has won three UEFA Champions' League Trophies back to back, a feat no other club could possibly attain. However, their performance in the domestic games has been a source of concern for the fans. The Madrid-based club could only win three La Liga titles in the past decade, with Barcelona winning six and Atletico pocketing one.
The Whites have been a sturdy side in the Champions League, and their talisman, Ronaldo, has played a massive part in all of their UCL glory days since 2009.
The Portuguese has scored a staggering 120 goals in his all UCL campaigns and is the all-time top scorer of the UEFA Champions League, with Messi 20 goals behind.
Unfortunately for them, Ronaldo will no more be playing for The Whites, and the Bernabeu outfit have had a hard time finding a replacement. They have the likes of Asensio, Vinicius Jr and Isco up front, but the Los Blancos have no proper bench replacements for their back four.
Bale's inability to stay fit has cost them plenty of games, and without Ronaldo, they have no clinical striker up front, considering the fact that Benzema has been misfiring for a few seasons now. With Hakimi preferring a move to Dortmund, they lack a quality bench for the defence.
So, in such a case, what options should they try, with the transfer window about to close in a few days?
#3 Give Nacho more minutes
Nacho's versatility is one of the best qualities he has. The Spanish defender can play as a centre-back and even on any of the wings, as a wing-back. His speed and quick decision-making are as great as any first team player.
However, Nacho has struggled to get minutes under Zinedine Zidane. Now with Hakimi out, Jesus Vallejo and Nacho are certain to get more minutes. If Julen plans to compete for all the three titles this season, squad rotation is the first and foremost thing he has to keep in mind.
Though Real Madrid has been able to clinch three UEFA Champions League titles in the past three years, their performance in league games has been dreadful.
They finished the league 17 points behind title-winners Barcelona, with Atletico Madrid three points ahead of them.
Real Madrid lacks the squad depth required, but Julen's man management skills are going to pay off by the end of the season. Nacho is certainly a vital player in the squad, and he is likely to get more minutes this season.
#2 Bench Benzema for Mayoral
This may sound a little doltish, but Benzema needs to sense a fear of losing his first-team position. The Frenchman has been misfiring for quite a few seasons now and the sole reason for his dip in form is lack of competition in the squad.
After selling Morata to Chelsea in 2017, the Bernabeu outfit have been linked to several strikers, including the likes of Harry Kane and Lewandowski, but none of the rumours seemed concrete and as a result, there was no sign of progress.
With the transfer window about to end in 5 days, Real Madrid certainly is looking for reinforcements. According to reports, the Madrid-based club has agreed to terms with Iago Aspas and the deal is about to go through.
However, if there are no signings whatsoever, Julen Loptegui does not have an option but to trust Mayoral to replace Benzema.
Mayoral has been the top scorer in the 2015 under-19 UEFA European Championship, but the Spanish striker has not had adequate chances to show his skills under Zinedine Zidane.
#1 Let Isco run the game
Isco is seen as the future of Real Madrid. He is magnificent when he is given the ball to play with. Julen Lopetegui's system of possession-based football could help Isco improve rapidly, and he certainly has the potential to become the best forward in the world.
Zinedine Zidane's game of counter-attacking football has not helped Isco improve as a player, because of the fact that his game solely relies on his dribbling abilities. He likes to hold the ball with him and go forward, something which is avoided by players when they counter-attack.
As has been stressed recently, Julen's system of possession football is pretty different from that of Real Madrid's, however, Isco is familiar to his tactics and game which eventually makes him the man to control the game.
Isco ran riots in every game he played for Spain under Julen, and not many know that the Real Madrid boss has been unbeaten in his time with Spain.
The new Real Madrid can turn out to be superior to Barcelona because ultimately, it is the coach's vision that plays out on the pitch; more than his signings.
One can claim that the players might take time to gel with Julen's tactics, but Real Madrid has players who can adapt to a possession game within no time. The likes of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are prime examples of players that can help Julen run his system with ease.
Also, this could surprisingly help Benzema prosper as the Frenchman, being a striker, has been more interested in creating for his teammates.
Regardless of how flawed his finishing has been, Benzema acts as a link between the players and he helps them score, instead. And this might be the sole reason why Zidane chose him over Morata or Mayoral. Benzema is a great passer of the ball and Julen might make him play as a false nine, maybe.
After the UEFA Super Cup defeat against Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid came out strong and won their opening league game against Getafe. They sure lack squad depth, but the Los Blancos' future is all about Julen's man-management abilities and his vision.
