The second half of the season 2016/17: Midfield (2024)

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Toni Kroos

Stakes (second half of the season / total): 22 / 48
minutes of action: 1.989 / 4.126
Gates: 3/4
Assists:5/17
Balls captured: 147 (7 per 90 minutes) / 281 (6 per 90 minutes)
Passes: 1.489 (67 per 90 minutes) / 3.184 (69 per 90 minutes)
Degrees: 16 (0,7 per 90 minutes) / 38 (0,8 per 90 minutes)
Average grade: 2,68 / 2,72

Slowly but surely we are running out of superlatives for this man. Toni Kroos has been with Real Madrid and it felt like the German international was on the field in every game - and delivered his best time and time again. But what was even more impressive: the Greifswald native managed to improve his performance in his third season and has also matured further as a personality. With his position colleague Modrić, he forms the perfect symbiosis in central midfield and, with his technical quality, his excellent positional play and his uncanny game intelligence, with which he is able to resolve even the most pressure-filled situations, gives the Royal team its incomparable statics and balance, which drove pretty much every opponent to despair in the second half of the season. In addition, the 27-year-old also noticeably improved in his play against the ball, which makes him seem an even more complete player overall.

CONCLUSION:Especially when taking into account the number of minutes played (Kroos once again has the most of the entire team), it can be stated that Madrid's number 8 has probably been the most consistent player in the Blancos squad this season. Even if the world champion sometimes seems inconspicuous in certain phases of the game or even consciously takes a back seat, the bottom line is that he is and remains one of the central pillars of Zidane's system. Just looking at how the majority of Madrid's goals are scored shows how fundamental Kroos really is for Real: when the father of two is not directly involved (17 assists is the best in the team), he provides the pre-assist in a disproportionately high number of cases or initiates the decisive attack by shifting the ball to create space.Overall grade: 2,72

Charles Casemiro

Stakes (second half of the season / total): 25 / 42
minutes of action: 1.861 / 3.314
Gates: 5 / 6
Assists:2/4
Balls captured: 146 (7 per 90 minutes) / 266 (7 per 90 minutes)
Passes: 980 (47 per 90 minutes) / 1.776 (48 per 90 minutes)
Degrees: 16 (0,8 per 90 minutes) / 26 (0,7 per 90 minutes)
Average grade: 2,93 / 2,85

Real's man for the rough experienced a half-season with many ups and downs - often even within one game. His importance for defensive balance and his ability in one-on-one combat are undisputed, but unfortunately the Brazilian often did not find the right dosage when it came to aggressiveness in direct duels. The 25-year-old was on the verge of being sent off in many (important) games and could have put his team in serious trouble on several occasions. His play with the ball was subject to similar fluctuations, with the South American often revealing technical deficiencies in his build-up, especially with the opponent behind him, but on the other hand also shining with Kroos-esque shifts of play and, as against Bayern, setting up important goals or scoring them himself (Naples, Barcelona, ​​Juventus). The fact that Casemiro is actually indispensable in the top games was proven in the return match against Sevilla (4:1), when Zidane only managed to gain final control of the game by bringing in the number 14.

CONCLUSION:The Brazilian's season can also be described as a constant up and down. After a solid start to the season, Madrid's striker was set back considerably by his long-term injury (fissure in the calf), but managed to stabilise himself again after initial difficulties following his comeback, only to regularly show two faces in the second half of the season. Sometimes he was the tackling machine who emerged victorious from every duel, sometimes he acted so rashly that he drove all the fans to despair. Sometimes he made inexplicable bad passes, only to then shake off another sweet pass from his ankle. A season that was similar to that of Real Madrid somewhere very close.Overall grade: 2,85

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Mateo Kovačić

Stakes (second half of the season / total): 17 / 39
minutes of action: 834 / 2.156
Gates:1 / 2
Assists: 3/3
Balls captured: 69 (7 per 90 minutes) / 148 (6 per 90 minutes)
Passes: 473 (51 per 90 minutes) / 1.253 (52 per 90 minutes)
Degrees: 3 (0,3 per 90 minutes) / 14 (0,6 per 90 minutes)
Average grade: 2,85 / 2,65

In the first half of the season, the sensation in the Blancos squad alongside Nacho Fernández, the playing time for the designated successor to fellow countryman Luka Modrić decreased somewhat due to Casemiro's recovery, which ultimately also had an impact on the performance of the Linz native. The lack of regular playing time was particularly noticeable in the Croatian at the beginning of the second half of the season, when he could no longer match the outstanding performances of the first half of the season. When appearances became more regular again towards the end of the season as a result of Zidane's rotation, the 23-year-old improved noticeably. Flexible in any position in midfield, Real's second youngest player once again demonstrated incredible ball control coupled with an incredible acceleration, which opens up further valuable options for the Royal's game. He is and remains Real's man for the future.

CONCLUSION:Every interested observer of the Royals knew that Kovačić has immense potential. The problem last season, however, was that the young Croatian only hinted at his abilities. Not so this year. In the first half of the season, the 23-year-old was a key player, but in the second half of the season he experienced a small dip, which is absolutely normal considering his age.As is well known, Modrić is not getting any younger and has also seemed out of form at times this season, so the Croatian crown prince is unlikely to make fewer appearances next season either.Overall grade: 2,65

Luka Modrić

Stakes (second half of the season / total): 21 / 41
minutes of action: 1.672 / 3.302
Gates:0 / 1
Assists: 1/5
Balls captured: 128 (7 per 90 minutes) / 239 (6,5 per 90 minutes)
Passes: 1.114 (60 per 90 minutes) / 2.172 (59 per 90 minutes)
Degrees: 12 (0,6 per 90 minutes) / 29 (0,8 per 90 minutes)
Average grade: 2,63 / 2,49

In the middle of the second half of the season, the alarm bells rang at Concha Espina: The season was just entering its hot phase and just at that pointLuka Modrić's performance was slumping, "Don Luka" seemed exhausted and completely out of form. Was the drama of 2015, when the Croatian was absent, going to repeat itself? Fortunately, it didn't, because Madrid's heart and engine slowly found its form again from the Champions League quarter-finals onwards and, aided by Zidane's clever rotations, was in top form just in time for the final spurt and was once again one of the outstanding figures on the way to the titles. While Kroos organized and structured the game, Modrić, in his inimitable style, provided the necessary depth in the game, tore gaps with his dribbling and also wore himself out defensively. In the last few games he was simply brilliant and consistently outstanding (average score of 1,75 from his last six games) and ultimately one of the final keys to the double.

CONCLUSION:Overall, perhaps not quite as consistent as his teammate Kroos, but with even better performances at the top, the “Mozart of the Balkans” ended up becoming, alongside Ronaldo, perhaps the decisive piece of the puzzle in the fight for the title.Modrić's Achilles heel is and remains his body: While an injury (once again) slowed him down for a short time in the first half of the season, he was at times suffering from physical exhaustion in the second half of the season. The right dosage of appearances will be an even greater challenge next season. This season has impressively demonstrated one thing: to win titles, you need Real Madrid the best Luka Modrić.Overall grade: 2,49

James Rodriguez

Stakes (second half of the season / total): 15 / 33
minutes of action: 841 / 1.823
Gates:7 / 11
Assists: 3 / 13
Balls captured: 51 (5,5 per 90 minutes) / 104 (5 per 90 minutes)
Passes: 539 (58 per 90 minutes) / 1.111 (55 per 90 minutes)
Degrees: 21 (2,2 per 90 minutes) / 44 (2,2 per 90 minutes)
Average grade: 2,38 / 2,54

Whether there is a relationship between James Rodríguez and Real Madrid still develops the great love story? It can (justifiably) be doubted. In terms of numbers alone, the Colombian once again delivered excellent values ​​and, with 2,38, also achieved the fourth-best average grade in the second half of the season, but in the important games the 25-year-old was mostly only second choice and was only allowed to show off his skills as a rotation player. There is no doubt that the South American is an outstanding footballer with world-class abilities, but the bottom line is that there is and will always be no room for the playmaker in Zidane's system. In order to have a realistic chance of a place in the starting eleven in the big games, the left-footer lacks the necessary defensive and running strength - especially in comparison to Isco. But this should in no way detract from James's predominantly strong performances in the second half of the season. When the number 10 was on the pitch, she delivered.

CONCLUSION:Even if it seems almost absurd considering the outstanding values ​​and good performances, a departure this summer is probably inevitable. Zidane seems to have finally put the experiment with James on the wing aside and in the center, Isco is currently ahead due to his somewhat greater flexibility. An almost grotesque situation, because the playmaker played really well over the whole season - when he was used - but for the type of player James is not a problem at all. Real Madrid There is apparently simply no room at the moment.Overall grade: 2,54

Isco

Stakes (second half of the season / total): 22 / 42
minutes of action: 1.254 / 2.339
Gates:7 / 11
Assists: 6/10
Balls captured: 95 (7 per 90 minutes) / 172 (7 per 90 minutes)
Passes: 843 (60,5 per 90 minutes) / 1.519 (58 per 90 minutes)
Degrees: 18 (1,3 per 90 minutes) / 33 (1,3 per 90 minutes)
Average grade: 2,27 / 2,52

Good things take time. What had already become apparent towards the end of the first half of the season continued throughout the second half of the season. In his fourth season in the royal jersey, Isco, who is undoubtedly one of the most talented footballers on the Iberian peninsula, finally took the long-awaited next step and - albeit due to Bale's injury - finally established himself with the royals. Installed as a free spirit behind the strikers in the newly formed 4-1-2-1-2, the Andalusian not only shone with magical passes and dribbling in tight spaces, but also worked extremely disciplined at the back and played his part in stabilizing the defense at the end of the season. The Spanish international delivered his masterpieces against Gijón (3:2) and in the semi-final second leg against Atlético (1:2), when he carried the team on his shoulders and led them to victory and into the final.

CONCLUSION:Was that Isco Alarcón's final breakthrough? It will be interesting to see how the situation around the skilled technician develops next season, once Gareth Bale is fully fit again, but from a personal point of view it can definitely be said that the number 22 has taken a huge step in his own development. And not only that: Isco's flexibility gives Zidane a high level of tactical variability and also gives him the opportunity to react to any kind of game development. If the Andalusian manages to confirm these outstanding performances next year, "Zizou" will be faced with a huge luxury problem.Overall grade: 2,52

Marco Asensio

Stakes (second half of the season / total): 17 / 38
minutes of action: 803 / 1.818
Gates:3 / 10
Assists: 3 / 4
Balls captured: 50 (6 per 90 minutes) / 113 (5 per 90 minutes)
Passes: 388 (43,5 per 90 minutes) / 897 (42 per 90 minutes)
Degrees: 15 (1,7 per 90 minutes) / 34 (1,6 per 90 minutes)
Average grade: 2,23 / 2,57

In February he was the big problem child due to a lack of playing time, but at the end of the season he was one of the main protagonists. The situation with Marco Asensio shows very clearly that Real's year was nowhere near as smooth as it might seem in retrospect, helped by the two major titles. Spain's greatest young hope was initially only second choice for a long time, but suddenly slipped into the leading role from the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The "Pearl of Mallorca" set up the decisive 2:1 in Munich and ensured the decision in the return match. In the final spurt of the league, the number 20 shone with consistently outstanding performances, finally putting in the finishing touches to a fantastic season in the Champions League final. Asensio's technical skills combined with his enormous speed and his incredibly high level of game intelligence make him one of the most unpredictable weapons in Madrid's squad, who will have a decisive influence on the Royal team in the medium term.

CONCLUSION:The young talent from Mallorca has simply exceeded all expectations. It was of course known beforehand that he is talented, but that he would make such a good impression was anything but predictable. Asensio simply has everything that makes a potential world-class player: technique, speed, decision-making. The 21-year-old is also a force to be reckoned with when he has the ball, especially when counter-pressing. As Bayern's technical director Michael Reschke put it so beautifully:“We should build a monument to the person who signed Asensio for 3,5 million.”Amen.Overall grade: 2,57

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