Having insisted that changes were to in the offing at Madrid, Zinedine Zidane returned to the approach that brought him success in his first tenure.
After an experiment-filled pre-season, and having insisted late last term that there would be changes, Real Madrid's opening game of the LaLiga campaign saw head coach Zinedine Zidane revert to the formula which, brought nine trophies during his first tenure at the Bernabéu. (Albeit without Cristiano Ronaldo, its most influential component.)
During the pre-season period, Zidane had tried setting his team up in a hitherto unfamiliar 3-5-2, in a bid to protect Marcelo defensively and get the most out of his attacking ability, and also to find the best way of fitting summer signing Eden Hazard into the team.
Back to 4-3-3 at Celta after 3-5-2 experiment
Zidane gave the system its first run-out in the narrow friendly win over RB Salzburg earlier this month. Four days later, the Frenchman then repeated the experimental set-up in the game against Roma (a clash which ended 2-2, and in which the coach was forced to abandon the formation in favour of a 4-4-2 after a disastrous first half).
Against Celta Vigo, however, he returned to the 4-3-3 with which his side claimed three Champions Leagues and a LaLiga between 2016 and 2018. And having reverted to his tried and tested system, it should perhaps come as no surprise that he also turned to the players who had accompanied him on his previous journey.
Players like Marcelo, who Zidane is determined to get back to his best and who was among Madrid's stand-out performers at Balaídos, and the midfielders who make up his favoured engine-room trio: Casemiro (who helped out the defence by getting through a mountain of dirty work, winning the ball back eight times), Toni Kroos (who scored a wonderful goal) and Luka Modric (for an hour, at least).
And men such as Karim Benzema, scorer of Madrid's opener; Lucas Vázquez, a squad member he trusts - and who, having been the first substitute brought on, responded with a goal; and Isco, who Zidane had told was in his plans (he was Los Blancos' 10th-most used footballer during pre-season) and also got playing time.
As he waits for his injury list to clear, it remains to be seen whether or not Zidane will continue to place his faith in his tried and trusted formula...