#3 Claude Makelele
A very underappreciated midfielder when he was at Real Madrid, Claude Makelele would be perfect for this Clasico, especially against this Barcelona side. The Frenchman may have only played with Zidane for a season at Real Madrid, but the two’s connection doesn’t stop there with the pair being key to the French national squad in the early 2000’s.
Makelele gained a reputation for being the best holding midfielder on the planet whilst at both Real Madrid and Chelsea, and in a midfield three of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, Makelele would really excel and make such a huge difference. His tackling and how he reads the game would stop this Barcelona side dead in their tracks and would essentially stop any Barcelona attack.
As a defensive midfielder, Makelele wasn’t viewed by some on the board at Madrid as being a “superstar” and wasn’t glamorous enough for the club at the time, but many, including Zidane, were shocked at his departure.
When Madrid sold Makelele and signed David Beckham, Zidane was quoted as saying “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?” and quite frankly, he’s right. Zidane would kill to have Makelele in his squad, and it’s evident for everyone to see.
Also Read: 5 reasons why the defensive midfielder is the most important player on the pitch
