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Zinedine Zidane's fairytale Real Madrid tenure came to end a few hours ago after the Frenchman decided to step down as the Los Blancos manager rather surprisingly.His two-and-a-half years at the Bernabeu will probably go down as the best period in the club's enchanting history.
However, there's hardly any time for the Real Madrid hierarchy to lament his decision. A bunch of hurdles are already waiting for them in line ahead of the season 2018/19.
That being said, let's have a look at the five big tests the Spanish giants have to go through before the new season commences.
#5 Appointing an appropriate manager
The job that needs the utmost attention. The chair of the Real Madrid boss isn't a bed of roses and will require a worthy candidate who can handle the pressure and expectations at the club.
With Zidane resigning as the Real Madrid coach, the hierarchy is scouring an able leader who can keep up the good work at the Bernabeu. Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino, Arsene Wenger and Luis Enrique are the names being linked with the Los Blancos job.
Florentino Perez will have to study the different philosophies of the available coaches and select the one that fits Madrid's style of play.
Reports state that Mauricio Pochettino is the President's first choice to take over from Zidane. But, does he have the required experience to handle the Spanish giants. Of course, Zidane was a rookie when he took over from Rafa Benitez and his success came out of the blue for football fans all over the world.
However, that won't necessarily happen with Pochettino. The Argentinian has done a great job but still, managing Real Madrid certainly won't be the easiest test paper he appears for.
Conte's appointment as the Real coach makes little sense, knowing that the Italian's defensive approach is poles apart from Madrid's attacking style of play. Arsene Wenger's a good candidate, but his record at Arsenal puts him under suspicions whether he could build another Invincibles team at the Bernabeu.
Luis Enrique's philosophy matches that of Los Blancos, but it remains to be seen whether he accepts the offer, considering his history with Barcelona.
Appointing a new manager is quite possibly the toughest hurdle Real will have to pass through ahead of the next season.
#4 Maintaining the squad unity
If there's any dressing room in the world with a bucket load of egos, it has to be the one at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid are used to boasting the best players in every position. It might make them splendid both on the paper and the pitch, but there's a tedious job to be done in uniting those egos and organizing them as a team at the backstage.
And that's what Zinedine Zidane carried out with perfection; he brought a unanimity amongst the players. The Frenchman kept their egos in check and made everyone feel equally important, which is why the players were terrifically loyal to him.
Believe it or not, their off the pitch relationships helped Real Madrid in achieving glory on the turf. The next man to fill Zidane's boots will have a tough job in winning the trust and respect of the players.
#3 Holding on to their Galacticos
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale cast doubts over their futures at the club after clinching a third consecutive UCL title. What's more, even Marcelo has warned that he would leave if his best mate Ronaldo decides to do so.
Add the fact that Real are considering cashing in on Karim Benzema. Spanish playmaker Isco, too, is facing an uncertain future at the club.
For the new coach, it is vital that he succeeds in holding on to the stars at the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid might be gearing up for a busy summer after being linked with a host of heavyweights, but losing the old guard won't do any good. Letting them leave will be a big blow for Los Blancos to take on, especially after Zidane's surprise announcement.
How brutal the Madrid faithful can be needs no special introduction. In that case, convincing the players to stay will help the new manager to establish a healthy relationship with the fans and ensure a positive start to his tenure at the club.
#2 Keeping up with the Champions League record
The Real Madrid people will be on cloud nine after their historic win in the Champions League. And, you can't blame them, can you? Winning 3 UCL titles in a row isn't a kind of a daily routine and Los Blancos have earned every right to brag about it.
They haven't been knocked out of the competition since 2016, and that's more than enough to put the new manager under a mammoth load of pressure. Expectations will be at the zenith and the Real fans will hardly accept anything less than another final appearance in the Champions League next season.
It seems Los Blancos will require nothing less than a demigod to deliver the goods next season and the new coach would better make sure he is one, if wants to avoid failure at the club.
#1 Regaining domestic supremacy
A standing ovation is hardly enough to commemorate the feats Real Madrid have achieved in the past 3 seasons in the Champions League. However, as good as they have been in Europe, Los Blancos have been abysmal in Spain for a considerable amount of time.
Los Merengues have won the league only twice since 2011. Add their disappointing record of winning the Copa Del Rey twice in the current decade and you know that they need a serious upgrade in their domestic performances.
Apart from their impressive results in the Champions League, Real Madrid need to pay equal attention to winning the domestic trophies, if they want to be considered as the best team of the current generations.
Barcelona's domination in Spain is a major factor why Pep Guardiola's team has gone down as one of the best in the game's history. Doing the same would eradicate all the doubts and elevate Real Madrid, probably as the greatest football team of all time.
