There is nothing left to salvage for Real Madrid…
At the start of the season, many were convinced that Real Madrid had created a dynasty. They looked unstoppable, with Super Cup success against Barcelona and Manchester United highlighting their prowess. Fast-forward five months and the team are an absolute shambles. There is no more pizazz – and after their defeat against Leganes, there could be no more Zidane.
Victory in the away leg against the minnows from Madrid meant that Los Blancos needed a measly draw on their own turf. But what would’ve been a stroll for last season’s team turned out to be an absolute horror-show. It was arguably the weakest performance the players have put in all season – which is an emphatic statement given the club’s failings on the domestic front.
Zidane, despite the importance of the encounter, chose to stick to his previously heralded rotation policy. He left out the likes of Ronaldo, Bale, Kroos, and Marcelo from the squad – and it proved to be a catastrophic decision. After a barrage of undeserved criticism over the last few weeks, the Frenchman was guilty of an overly optimistic approach on the night.
The youthful trio of Achraf Hakimi, Marcos Llorente, and Theo Hernandez were all trusted with the responsibility of seeing out the encounter, but their inexperience was waiting to be exploited. Hakimi consistently misplaced passes until one was punished by a terrific strike by Javier Eraso in the 31st minute, sending the Bernabéu into panic-mode. Similarly, Llorente and Hernandez struggled to assert themselves against the Leganes players – inviting pressure in the process.
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Regrouping at half-time seemed to have shifted the gears as Benzema quickly levelled the score-line with an impressive dinked finish. It was the first step to averting another crisis, but it wasn’t enough for the home side.
Real Madrid were unable to add to their tally and not long after, Leganes punished them for it. A 55th minute corner was met by a thumping header by Gabriel Pires, leaving Kiko Casilla helpless in goal. A sense of dread set in around the stadium, and yet another remontada was needed.
Modric and Carvajal entered the fray, and while their contributions made a noticeable difference, the team failed to muster up the quality expected of them. The never-say-die attitude commonly associated with the club and its heroes was nowhere to be seen. It was a side lurking in its own shadow, devoid of the very identity that propelled it to greatness.
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With a Champions League encounter against PSG approaching, Real Madrid’s season is essentially over, and the blame game has hit full throttle. Zidane undoubtedly shoulders much of the blame for the club’s demise, but is it fair to narrow the cross-hair to just him when the likes of Asensio, Isco, and Kovacic – or even the team’s absent stars – have made a habit of underperforming? I’ll let you be the judge as the season continues to unfold.