The FC crew assess the impact Real Madrid's "BBC" trio of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo had on the club's win over Valencia in their first start together in 280 days.
Real Madrid's transfer window, as anticipated, was a nonevent. No players out, no players in and no change to the status quo. And that, whether Zinedine Zidane realises it or not, will suit Florentino Perez down to the ground.
A minor tug-of-will played out over the signing of Athletic keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Perez continued in his quest to undermine Keylor Navas but was broadsided by his coach, who stated that he neither needed nor wanted another number one.
The president-coach deadlock was painted as a challenge on Zidane's part to Perez's de facto position as Real Madrid's sporting director -- a post that has stood vacant since Jose Mourinho came out on top in a power struggle with Jorge Valdano during the Portuguese's tenure at the Bernabeu. It was subsequently -- and briefly -- occupied by the Frenchman, in action if not entirely in name.
In reality, it is simply a clash of ethos. Perez sees an opening and his instinct, born of his schooling in the dog-eat-dog Spanish corporate world, is to throw money at it. Zidane is a different kind of player, a straight-talking moderate with a more measured world view, a subject who makes for a fascinating interviewee beyond the controlled confines of the Bernabeu press room and whose upbringing taught him, in his own words, "not just about football, but also life."
Perez's grasp of the finer points of the game often has been called into question. A construction magnate and one of Spain's wealthiest businessmen, he has converted a supposedly member-run club into his own personal fiefdom. With a personal fortune in excess of $2 billion and the ear of politicians including former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Perez is nothing if not a very shrewd operator, as his unopposed re-election to the Madrid presidency last June and Forbes' rubber-stamping of his business acumen this week prove.
But in Zidane, Perez met his match in terms of squad management. Many a former Real coach has aimed a parting shot at transfer policy at the Bernabeu. Zidane's famous line about fancy cars and layers of paint was delivered while he was still a player labouring under El Presi's Galactico policy of the early 2000s.
Zinedine Zidane, right, might have played right into Florentino Perez's hands with his request for no January signings.
What is undeniable of the "Zidanes and Pavones" model is the effect the strategy had beyond the pitch: It transformed Real Madrid into the most marketable club in the world, eclipsing traditional European glamour sides like Liverpool, Juventus, AC Milan and -- at least before Barca jumped into bed with the Qatari government -- the eternal rival.
What it didn't do was bring success on it. Under Zidane, Real have married commercial victory with domination in Europe. But the general consensus is that only a third Champions League crown will keep the Frenchman in a job past June.
This is why January 2018 will go down as a key faceoff between the two major powers at Real Madrid. Zidane consistently reiterated that he did not want new players in the January window, and there are two factors to support that stance: firstly, the inflated market; and secondly, an admirable desire to back his players.
But that also plays directly into Perez's hands. The president finds himself in a position of being able to say he followed his coach's wishes by not forcing signings onto him, while also ensuring his own immunity by manoeuvring behind the scenes to bolster the squad, however unnecessary or unlikely the target.
Of all the ships that sailed in the January night, none will linger in Perez's craw quite as persistently as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon striker had spoken candidly about his desire to play for Madrid yet moved to Arsenal this week for what at today's prices was a very reasonable €63 million. He might be ineligible for the Champions League, but a record of 21 goals in 24 games in all competitions this season would at least have given Karim Benzema something to think about.
Real spent almost €50m last summer on Theo Hernandez and Dani Ceballos, who have racked up 695 minutes in Europe and La Liga between them in 2017-18 and could well be shunted out on loan or permanently next season.
Zidane's transfer policy was bold, a bet on the future he assumed would be covered by the players that delivered back-to-back Champions Leagues and a Liga title beating the house for another 12 months. With that plan torn to shreds domestically, all of his chips now lie on the European table.
The Real president kept his cheque book in his pocket in January, guided by his coach's unbending faith in his squad. Zidane has made his bed and is now completely reliant on those players to prevent Perez from choosing someone else to lie in it next season.
Rob Train covers Real Madrid and the Spanish national team for ESPN FC. Twitter: @Cafc13Rob.
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Source: espn.co.uk