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Ex-Real Madrid GM Valdano: Zidane confusing everyone

Former Real Madrid GM Jorge Valdano has criticised coach Zinedine Zidane over their start to the season.

The Argentinean feels that something in Zidane is different to last season although that is just one of several issues Madrid have right now.

Valdano said, "One of the problems Madrid have is the defence, they all move on personal impulses and that leaves them out of position. As games wear on, the team seems to get distracted and that is when all sense of order is lost. Madrid's problems this season are not the same as the ones they experienced last season because from what we have seen so far, Zidane is not the same.

"Over the summer, he ended up confusing everyone - including the fans. Bale was supposed to leave but now he's an undisputed starter. They were waiting on Pogba but he never arrived. I get the impression that Zidane has been working based on the hypothetical assumption that Pogba would be joining. So during the pre-season, we saw him using different systems. In my opinion, instead of enhancing the team, he's confused the players.

"The team is still not defined, we don't know whether it's an attacking team or a more defensive team... When Zizou first took the Madrid coaching post, from Day One we were left in no doubt about what kind of team he wanted. He would always state who was going to play. Now we don't know which players are in his starting XI. If Madrid had a Champions League tie tomorrow..."

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