Real Madrid's Zidane takes off Ronaldo against Atletico, and why it was the right choice
Zidane has his eyes on more important things
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1 min read
Real Madrid couldn't beat in-city rival Atletico Madrid on Sunday in La Liga play, finishing 1-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in a match where Cristiano Ronaldo scored and was surprisingly taken off in the 64th minute. The draw doesn't do a whole lot for either side, but it's slightly favorable for Atletico.
Here's what you need to know:
Taking Ronaldo off was the right move
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane did what Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola didn't do a day earlier -- give his key players enough rest. Both Real Madrid and Manchester City have midweek Champions League matches, and the Real Madrid boss, even with a 3-0 lead over Juventus after the first leg, gave important players just a good run out. Isco, Marco Asensio, Luka Modric, Ronaldo, Benzema -- none of them played the full 90 minutes and most of them played less than a half an hour.
And rest was exactly what Zidane had in mind for Ronaldo, saying so after the match.
Zidane on Ronaldo substitution: “It was just [to rest]. We have many games, that’s it. Sometimes he needs to rest.”
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) April 8, 2018
While a win would have gotten Real within a point of Atletico for second, Zidane didn't push it too much with Champions League being the top prize. Smart move.
Top four is a lock
While Real went for the win with its starting XI, a draw isn't that big of a deal. The top four in La Liga will clinch spots in the Champions League, and Real is 15 points clear of fifth-place Betis. Real will be in the Champions League next season, and this match wasn't going to overtake the priority of winning a third straight Champions League title.
Real Madrid, however, could find itself in fourth place at the end of the day if Valencia beats Espanyol on Sunday.
Champions League should be the focus
Real expected to be at the top of the table come season's end but some rough early results saw this team struggle out of the gates. Now 15 points back of first-place Barcelona, they aren't winning the league this season. And if they don't win the Champions League, their season will be a complete failure. A trophy-less campaign would probably put Zidane on the moderately hot seat. But if the team conquers Europe for the third consecutive season, then the La Liga woes will quickly be forgotten.
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