What’s not clicking at Real Madrid this season?

Injuries and a lack of options mean that he doesn’t have as much scope to changes things this term.

How does Zidane deal with the pressure?

Zinedine Zidane became the first manager to lead his team to successive Champions League titles last season. It may seem ridiculous, but there’s already been some speculation over his future at the Bernabeu.

He was one of the greatest midfielders of all time as a player. But he’s never had to navigate his way through choppy waters in his brief managerial career so far.

Looking at things objectively, Madrid still have a chance to regain ground on Barcelona in the league and they’re in the draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

But he knows better than most that Madrid don’t operate like most clubs. Even an icon like Zidane is vulnerable if they don’t win the big trophies.

More stardust needed?

They say it’s hard to get to the top but it’s even harder to stay there. Most of Real Madrid’s players have now won all there is to win in the club game.

They were so focused on becoming the first team to retain the Champions League, it wouldn’t be a surprise if their motivation dipped marginally this term. What else is there for them to achieve?

Cristiano Ronaldo is now 32-years-old. Even a player of his remarkable standards has to slow down eventually. With doubts over Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale struggling for fitness, the club wanted to sign Kylian Mbappe from Monaco this summer to lead the club’s attack for years to come.

However, even Real Madrid can’t compete with Paris Saint-Germain’s riches.

They didn’t sign an alternative to Mbappe and probably should have done. A new star would have kept the players on their toes and added competition for places.

It’s not a surprise that talk of Eden Hazard moving to the Bernabeu has sparked up again recently. Bringing in a player in that bracket would help to reinvigorate the whole club.

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