Zidane's rejected

If one attribution has been given to Zinedine Zidane since he came to the Real Madrid bench, it is that of a good group manager. The recognition of other virtues, such as tactical vision or the ability to change games based on changes, have cost him more work and are even still being discussed at times, eleven titles later. But that good hand to tame the egos of the locker room, undoubtedly favored by his stripes as one of the best in history, has not always paid off. Zizou has a few smudges on his (almost) pristine file, Jovic is the latest example of those footballers that the coach, for lack of attitude, aptitude or simple personal taste, has rejected or ignored in Real Madrid's day-to-day life.

Bale

The most obvious example, also the most radical: he started in the 2015-16 Champions League final, Zidane's first title, but since then he has lost steam little by little. Due to injury, he missed the decisive stretch of 2016-17 (Champions League double) and in 2017-18 Isco definitely ate his toast, which caused his outbreak after the Champions League final in Kiev: “I'll talk to my agent , I need to play more ”. The departure of Zidane and the arrival of Lopetegui relaxed the fury of the Welshman, but the subsequent return of the French returned the situation to the critical point. Zizou asked him to leave last summer (“If he leaves tomorrow, better”, the technician went on to say, avoiding his usual prudence); It was not possible and the Marseille did everything to reintegrate Bale (starter in six of the first eight days of LaLiga).

But their relationship was mortally wounded and the very poor performance of the Welshman (three goals and two assists in all of 2019-20) did the rest. He barely participated after the confinement and did not travel, by his own wish, to Manchester. An untenable situation that Madrid resolved with a loan to Tottenham, taking over 50% of his huge salary (14.5 million net per course). Although the problem is not solved, only postponed: next summer he must return, he has a contract until 2022.

James

The Colombian, three-quarters of the same as Bale. His contribution was from more to less: in the 2015-16 Champions League final he was a substitute, without minutes; in the 2016-17, neither summoned; he left on loan for two years to Bayern, who did not want to keep him in property; And in 2019-20, when Madrid could not find who would pay the 42 million they asked for him (Naples did not arrive; Atleti perhaps did, but New Jersey 3-7 blocked that option), he was part of the squad and it even started with minutes and a decent performance. Between injuries and little confidence, James stayed in 728 minutes, a goal and two assists, in a short staff of personnel in the medullary; Madrid saw clearly that this wound would not heal and released the coffee grower, who left for Everton with Ancelotti, his great supporter.

Reguilón

A matter of pure personal taste: Zidane doesn't like Reguilón. He would not have enough if Mendy and Marcelo were not there, but the fact is that they are and that left the youth squad without options, who last year was loaned to Seville, where he triumphed without palliative. So much so that Tottenham has paid 30 million for him; Madrid, aware that Marcelo (32 years old) has an expiration date, has saved a buyback option for the future. Although Reguilón already knows that, if Zidane is still on the bench, he will probably also end up sitting on it or in the stands.

Ceballos

Signed in the summer of 2017 from Betis, Zidane showed little confidence in the Utreran during his first season: just 900 minutes. The coach's departure in the summer of 2018 revitalized Ceballos's options, which was released on ‘Radio Marca’: “I asked him why he did not play, he did not understand. He told me to rate the players in front of him, but Modric and Kroos were injured at one time and the system changed to put others. That burns you and it hurts you. Perhaps he did not know what a player feels on the bench, it will help him not to make the mistakes he has made here in the future “.

The Sevillian did not know that they would meet again in the final stage of 2018-19; In the last eleven days, he was left off the list in five and had no minutes in another three. It was evident that, while Zidane commands in Madrid, Ceballos must look for a team; He left on loan to Arsenal, where he will also play in 2020-21.

Marcos Llorente

The current Atleti player and Zidane already knew each other from Castilla, where curiously he was one of the most used; he was the second footballer to whom the Marseillais gave the most minutes in the white team. In 2017, he returned from a successful loan at Alavés to compete with Casemiro by the minute, but he barely accumulated 1,063 minutes and was not called up in six of the seven knockout phase games of the Champions League.

Mentalized that he had to pack his bags, Zidane's resignation led him to give himself another chance and, with Solari on the bench, Llorente accumulated meetings and praise. But the Argentine fell, Zidane returned and made his intentions clear. “Zidane has not been unfair to me, each coach has his tastes”The soccer player acknowledged once his pass to Atlético was consummated in exchange for 30 million.

Brahim

A strange situation, the one from Malaga: in the return of Zidane for the final stage of 2018-19, he had a lot with Brahim. He participated in eight of the last ten days, being a starter in five, and gave the feeling that he had passed the cut in that kind of Zizou casting for 2019-20. The club recommended that he leave on loan to continue progressing, but he refused and his last season is summarized in 206 minutes, a goal and an assist. The stands was a common trend for him, except after confinement, when he benefited from the possibility of 25 players being called up in each game. Brahim understood that, for the moment, it is difficult in Madrid and accepted a loan to Milan.

Mariano

Another case like Llorente's: in Castilla, the forward scored 16 goals in 22 games under Zidane's command, who approved his promotion to the first team in 2016-17. He barely played (302 minutes in which he left: five goals and two assists) and he went to Lyon, where he shone for a year (21 goals) to be re-caught for Lopetegui's project.

The return of Zidane and the signing of Jovic last summer made it clear that he had no place, but he insisted on staying (he has a net salary of 4.5 million per course that makes it difficult to place him), with the expected result: he has not played nor 90 minutes in 2019-20, scoring a goal. This summer he spoke with Benfica, but did not reach an agreement and refuses to move, even though he knows it does not count. If Jovic ends up leaving, the substitute forward will be Mayoral.