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Zinedine Zidane has problems at Real Madrid.
La Liga’s season is only 11 matches old, and yet Los Blancos find themselves eight points behind leaders Barcelona, who have incredibly dropped only two points so far this term, and are 4 points behind surprise package Valencia. Even Atletico Madrid, who have drawn five times already, are tied with the European champions.
It is his first truly bad spell as a head coach and at a value as intense as the Bernabeu there is little wiggle room, even for the greatest bosses.
With his squad struggling to perform to its best, here are 5 players that Zizou simply cannot afford to bench:
#5 Casemiro
Another player who is often overlooked for recognition is defensive midfielder Casemiro, yet, the 25-year-old is another with the capability to bring solidarity to the team. He is also a player with a strong mentality and will to win – exactly the kind of man you want to rely on in a tight situation.
His efforts were recently rewarded at international level, as he captained Brazil for the first time in October, and Fernandinho backed his national team colleague for greater recognition for what he has achieved.
“Casemiro has totally transformed Real Madrid. In the last two or three years, he’s been playing regularly and has given great stability to them and to Brazil as well,” he said.
“I am very happy for him, that he was able to leave Brazil to show his true value. He is one of the great players in the position in world football.”
Meanwhile, the man himself knows that there is no room for error in their position and pledged to get his side to raise their efforts.
“We know we're very far behind. We must keep our heads now, this is a difficult moment. We must play better, we must work harder,” he said after the shock 2-1 loss in Girona.
A week later, he scored as Madrid got back on track with a 3-0 win against Las Palmas, showing that he is a character who takes what he says seriously.
#4 Sergio Ramos
Whenever Real Madrid are in trouble, they can rely on Sergio Ramos to bail them out. Indeed, there is an argument to suggest that the 31-year-old centre-back would be a more fitting winner of the Ballon d’Or 2017 than Ronaldo.
The defender has an incredible habit of popping up with goals at crucial times – he hit double figures last season as Madrid claimed the league title – but, moreover, embodies the mentality and spirit of the team.
No-one, it seems, wants the club to get back to form with the burning desire of the Spain defender. “It’s a f***ing bad start,” he fumed after a shock 1-0 loss to Real Betis in September. "It's concerning and alarming, as this bad start at home has included games against opponents that we would normally beat at the Bernabeu.
"But we must move on, be self-critical and think about the next games. We are the same players who were winning titles a month ago.
"We have to be united and think of ourselves, but there is a great team here and there are no excuses.”
Additionally, Madrid do not have cover at centre-back to act as a reasonable option to replace their captain, who so often leads by example. He is a player who must be backed to dig them out of their current predicament.
#3 Luka Modric
He may not score many goals or even get too many assists, but Luka Modric is the man who makes Real Madrid tick in the centre of the field. What Xavi was to Barcelona at their peak, the Croatia international is to Zidane’s Madrid. He may operate quietly, but that does not stop him from being an integral player.
When he first arrived at the Bernabeu, he was deployed as an attacking midfielder operating in the lines between midfield and defence, though in truth he has always performed to his best as a deep-lying playmaker – the role he now undertakes.
“Luka Modric is definitely one of best midfield players in the world,” former Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said of the former Tottenham man. “He has great technical abilities, reads the game and has a strong personality that he has built over the years. Besides that, he is a very pleasant person.”
Zidane is a major fan of the 32-year-old, too, praising the “calmness and stability” that he brings to the team. With the tempest currently raging around the squad and the intense scrutiny on their performances, these are attributes not to be underestimated as they attempt to regain their rhythm ahead of a period before that will likely be decisive in how they perform this season.
#2 Isco
Isco may not be the most glamorous name on the Real Madrid teamsheet, but with the club’s other forwards misfiring so far this season, the 25-year-old attacking midfielder has become an integral member of the team and one who simply cannot be overlooked.
Although Gareth Bale has struggled with injury problems in the early part of the season, the Wales international will find it difficult to displace the Spaniard in Zidane’s starting XI, especially if media reports in Spain that suggest Ronaldo prefers playing with the former Malaga man are accurate.
Before Tottenham’s Champions League meeting with Madrid at Wembley, Mauricio Pochettino picked out the midfielder as the defending champions’ greatest threat.
“I think that he is one of the best and he is proving it,” he said. “I have been lucky to have seen him playing for different clubs and he has always been a player with a capacity and creativity above average.
“He has reached his full potential at Real, and we will take that into account. We know all about his magic.”
Aside from the Copa del Rey, he has been an ever-present in the Madrid team and has shown an ability to find his form in recent weeks. Indeed, while others have struggled, he has scored a goal or provided an assist in all five of Madrid’s last La Liga matches.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is ‘in crisis’, his critics claim. They point to figures that show he has scored only one league goal so far this season – his poorest return ever to this juncture of a Spanish top-flight campaign.
The 32-year-old is not, however, a spent force. Even the greatest forwards have fallow periods, and Ronaldo’s goal drought is simply emphasised by how prolific he has been in previous seasons.
Ahead of Las Palmas’ meeting with Madrid last weekend, Spain international winger Vitolo told Marca: "To say that about a player who has scored the number of goals Cristiano Ronaldo has is a joke. He is a great player and we know what he is capable of, he can score at any moment.”
Indeed, having found the net at least 25 times in La Liga in each of his previous eight seasons with Los Blancos only serves to remind fans that at some point he is bound to explode into life again.
Certainly, that is the opinion of team-mate Casemiro, who told the club’s official website recently: “What stands out for me are the chances that Cristiano has created and the desire to score that he always has. He'll score a lot of goals in the coming games. It doesn't worry me.”
Even if he is not at his best currently, leaving out a player with such scoring potential – he averages, outrageously, more than one goal per league appearance in Spain – is simply unthinkable.
