5 things Real Madrid need to do next season

#1 Create a coherent style of play

Zidane will need to create a coherent style of play

One of the features of Zidane’s first two-and-a-half seasons as Real Madrid manager was the adaptability of the team. On a given day, the team would line up in a 4-3-3 formation with Karim Benzema drifting to the flanks to make room in the middle for Cristiano Ronaldo.

On other occasions, it would be a four-man midfield behind Ronaldo and Benzema. The extra midfielder (usually Isco) given the freedom to drift anywhere he liked.

The departure of Ronaldo means that such a free-wheeling approach may no longer work as no one on the team currently has the ability to deliver the mind-bending goal haul which the Portuguese superstar became synonymous with.

Therefore, a set system to fit in with the players available would be very important. The arrival of Jovic could mean that Zidane could go two upfront (Jovic and Benzema) with Hazard having a free role behind them.

This would mean lots of space for the fullbacks: Dani Carvajal/Alvaro Odriozola and Marcelo/Ferland Mendy to bomb up and down the flanks as in such a system, they would be responsible for providing the width.

However, a 4-3-3 seems the most likely with one striker, Hazard and another wide forward in the front three. The three-peat UCL midfield of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric should start as well. In defence, capitan Ramos will start alongside Raphael Varane with Thibault Courtois in goal.