Florentino, Zidane and pre-season
Madrid returned to work yesterday, although somewhat depleted. There were only fourteen first team players, among those missing the cream of the squad who had extended time off due to their involvement in the Euros (all but one) and Copa America (James Rodriguez). The group heads off for Canada today, reinforced with eleven homegrown players, to get their preseason underway. Once there they will be joined by the rest gradually, depending on how and when their summer journey with their national side ended. The last to arrive will be Cristiano and Pepe, who finished most recently, with a triumphant victory in Euro 2016.
So far, the only new faces to join the squad are the returning Morata, who will be in Canada on the 20th, and Asensio. Things have gone a little cold on Pogba recently, but Zidane still wants him and Florentino doesn’t like to get to the end of a summer without a headline-grabbing signing, and the French midfielder is the only one in the current market, albeit at a bestial price, and with a Euro performance behind him that didn’t drive a fight to pay. On the radar are some other possibilities, although less glittery, such as Alaba, Ricardo Rodriguez and André Gomes, not forgetting one more for the future in Gabriel Jesús, who has more maturing to do in Palmeiras. Kanté has already flown with Chelsea capturing his signature.
In his recent interview, Raúl told Marco Ruiz that his ideal club model would have a sporting director. This is something Madrid do not have, or maybe they do, integrated into the role of the president who, from his lofty position, feels able to do both tasks well. Now, after winning ‘la undécima’, although achieved in a certain way, we will see if there is any fall from grace. Zidane, who faces his first ‘real’ season', will have to get along with him with no intermediary buffer and will have to temper any bluster. The true test for the young coach comes now: in his decisions this summer.