Zidane loses the flower

Real Madrid is lost in Europe. Strange to see him these days, after four titles in five editions of the Champions League very recently, but the white club has known throughout its history journeys through the desert of the Old Continent: 32 years to raise the Seventh, 12 for the Tenth … What is new is to contemplate Zidane disengaged in the competition that gave him fame and fortune. After the visit to Kiev, Madrid is stagnant, including the Marseille coach.

He has accumulated five defeats in 13 Champions League games since he returned to the white bench, one more than he reaped during his entire successful first stage: four lost matches of 33. This fragility has been transferred to the general level, in a worrying way: Madrid lost 16 games out of 149 to Zidane between January 2016 and June 2018, 11%; In its second stage, there are another 16 defeats in just 77 games, 21%. It is a Madrid twice as permeable to be overcome, especially in the European Cup, where that jump is even greater: defeats have increased from 12% to 42%.

Zidane: “I don't resign”

Zidane, in his Zen line, denied fundamental problems and hid himself in a decent first half, but without hitting: “His goal did us a lot of damage, we were playing very well. He did not want to enter ”. A similar crisis, although of less intensity, already made him leave the ship in 2018, just a few days after lifting his third consecutive Champions League. Now, with Madrid suffering in the tournament that best defines him, he does not throw in the towel: “I have strength and I am going to give it my all. I am not going to resign ”.

Once again, Zidane emitted feelings of low tactical waist, leaving out the warned Casemiro (Madrid did not report any discomfort from the Brazilian), with three changes at once in 77 ', when he already fell 1-0, and taking Benzema out to put Mariano in. Nor is it news: against City in August he made three of four changes in 83 'and at Borussia's home, losing 2-0, he did not move until 71' …