The Madrid derby was a real test of character for a depleted Real Madrid side, but Zinedine Zidane's side passed with flying colours thanks in no small part to the efforts of their Croatian connection; Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic. Zidane, to the surprise of some, is continuing to show that he will also be a great coach and his plan to cover the midfield was perfect. The donkey work would be shared by Modric and Kovacic in an area where Atletico Madrid are renowned for choking and pressing the opposition. An area that would normally be the preserve of Toni Kroos and Casemiro. Aided by Lucas Vazquez, the Croatians responded with a commendable work ethic. And how. Kovacic ran 10.64 kilometres, the third most of any Real player, behind Lucas Vazquez and Dani Carvajal. Further, he recovered seven balls and had a 90 percent pass completion rate. Modric, meanwhile, completed 89 percent of his passes and recovered nine balls - all the more impressive give that he had to play much more defensively than usual.
Cristiano Ronaldo will grab the headlines but the Croatian duo played a massive part in Real's assault on the Estadio Vicente Calderon.Ronaldo wasn't the only Real Madrid figure to answer his critics at the Estadio Vicente Calderon, as coach Zinedine Zidane engineered a hugely impressive 3-0 result despite the absence of several key starters. The Frenchman's decision to field Ronaldo in a No. 9 role paid dividends, with the Portuguese star helping himself to a hat-trick. There were impactful performances all over the field for Los Blancos, who pulled off a result that goes some way towards silencing those who have criticised the team's setup as being disproportionately dependent on individual brilliance rather than squad identity. "Not many teams can come to the Vicente Calderon and win 3-0 like this," Zidane gushed during the post-match press conference. "Our approach in every game is to win. We knew that would be difficult today, but we did it with hard work and determination." The 44-year-old also stated his belief that tactical details are secondary to effort and sacrifice. "We essentially played a 4-4-2, but the formations aren't as important as players being willing to work hard and give everything," he said.
The French boss also took time to praise two of the team's outstanding performers on the night. "I never had any doubts about [Cristiano Ronaldo], and his goals don't change anything," he said. "There's no debate over who deserves the Ballon d'Or. "Isco didn't lose a single ball in the first half, I'm delighted with the way he played up front behind Cristiano [Ronaldo], which I think is his best position. "With Modric and Kovacic in addition to Isco, the team was able to exert its will over the midfield battle." Despite a hugely successful day's work, the Frenchman also cautioned that the victory won't amount to much if the team don't continue to improve over the course of the campaign. "The season is long, and we'll have to match the intensity we showed today right to the end in order to achieve something," he stated. "We're in a good position right now, but we haven't won anything yet."
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