Zidane receives a truce in the casualty section at the moment when he needs it most. The coach recovers for the game on Wednesday against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (9:00 p.m., Movistar Champions League) Sergio Ramos and Mendy, two indisputable footballers for the coach when they are healthy. Beyond the importance of both in the team, their return opens a range of options for Zizou when making the eleven: you can decide between the defense of five or four. It is the best kept secret in the previous hours.
In the first leg he had to reinforce the center of the rear with three centrals (Militao, Nacho and Varane) because I only had Odriozola and Marcelo available to occupy the wings, two players who do not trust in the defensive section.
Now he has Odriozola and Marcelo available again, but he also has the possibility of putting more solidity on the wings with Nacho and Mendy to return to his usual system, that of two centrals. In this option, Ramos and Militao would be the couple in the center of the rear. The Brazilian has won the starting role in the last month and a half.
Sergio Ramos
Separate mention deserves the return of Sergio Ramos, for what it means in sports and also emotionally. His presence is something new for Zidane in 2021, where he has barely been able to count on him. Since Madrid returned from the Christmas break, Ramos has only played 305 minutes spread over four games (Osasuna, Athletic, Elche and Atalanta). That represents 13% of those played by the team in 2021. His last full match was against Athletic in the Spanish Super Cup (he played it undercover), on January 14. Since then, he has added 61 'against Elche in the League and 64' against Atalanta in the Champions League before leaving with the National Team and returning injured.
These numbers contrast with the importance it had in the first section of the course: before the Christmas break, it had played 1,395 minutes, 73.8% of the total. He was one of the players most used by Zidane. Nothing to do with the current situation: overall for the season he has 1,700 '(40.1% of the total), 12th in the squad. Something unusual, but from which a positive reading can be drawn: Madrid has managed to stay afloat in the League and Champions without its captain and recovers it for the games in which both titles will be decided.
Hazard
In attack, Hazard aims to start. The Belgian has plenty of freshness (only 755 'this season) and lacks some rhythm, but in the few minutes he has had since his last comeback (109' in three games) he has left the feeling that something different happens when the ball goes through his boots.
Where there is no doubt is in the center of the field: Casemiro, Kroos and Modric will start. Zidane booked the last two against Osasuna because they reach this end of the course with the reserve driver on (the German has 3,013 'and the Croatian 3,295'). A wear that advises to dose them for the moments of truth …