THE SCENARIO: It is July 2016. Despite recently leading Real Madrid to a record 11th European Cup win, coach Zinedine Zidane has suddenly resigned, reportedly due to a dispute with club chairman Florentino Perez over the club’s transfer policy for the upcoming season. Perez has appointed Spanish coach Diego Lima as Zidane’s replacement but will he be able to win the respect of his star studded team and lead them to success or will internal politics unravel Los Blancos’ hopes of becoming the first team to successfully defend the Champions League?

Previous episodes: Episode 1, Episode 2

Prefer a different European league? Read our other series here: England – Premier League, France – Ligue 1, Germany – Bundesliga, Italy – Serie A, Spain – La Liga

1 September 2016

This month we have league matches against Osasuna, Espanyol, Villarreal, and Las Palmas as well as our first two Champions League matches against Sporting Lisbon and Legia Warsaw. Borussia Dortmund are the other team in our group and our toughest opponent, so we’ll need maximum points this month before taking on the Germans on Matchday 3.

10 September 2016

Real Madrid vs Osasuna

Osasuna visit the Bernabeu and with the exception of the injured Bale, we are at full strength. Isco continues to deputise for the Welsh winger while Ronaldo and Benzema will be looking to add to their tally.

Things don’t go according to script when Didier Digard gives the visitors the lead in the 13th minute. With their first shot of the game he lets fly from distance and finds the top corner leaving Navas looking silly. Someone get David De Gea’s agent on the phone please. Thankfully, Benzema equalises almost immediately before Ronaldo gives us the lead from the penalty spot shortly after that. I expect more goals at this point, but Salvatore Sirigu makes a series of saves to deny us the scoreline our superiority deserves. It ends 2-1, our third win in a row which has us top of the league at this early stage. Barcelona and Atletico are both still winless and already trail us by 7 and 8 points respectively (albeit with a game in hand).

13 September 2016

Real Madrid vs Sporting Lisbon

We kick-off the defence of the Champions League with a reunion for Ronaldo against his first professional club, Sporting Lisbon. No team has successfully defended the trophy since its rebranding as the Champions League, so we’re aiming to be the first come the end of the season. I make some changes for the game as Casilla, Danilo, Pepe, Casemiro, Asensio, Vazquez, and Morata make their first starts of the season.

We completely dominate and pepper Sporting with 20 shots (15 on target) but somehow only manage to come away with a 2-0 win. Morata and Ronaldo have some great chances early on that go begging, before Asensio finally breaks through in the 37th minute. A great save by Casilla in the second half denies Sporting the equaliser, before Vasquez seals the win in the last minute after being teed up by Ronaldo. Dortmund can only manage a draw against Legia, which hands us the early advantage in the group.

17 September 2016

Espanyol vs Real Madrid

The stats for our last two games: 14 shots (11 on target) against Osasuna but only 2 goals scored, 20 shots (15 on target) against Sporting Lisbon but only 2 goals scored. We’re still winning, which is the main thing, but it would be nice to win games more comfortably with all the chances we’re creating. Fingers crossed we’ll do that today against Espanyol. Navas, Carvajal, Varane, James, Isco, and Benzema return to the lineup while Kroos and Marcelo are rested.

Much, much better. We manage less shots than in our previous matches but are more clinical and come away with a 4-1 win. Ronaldo (who else) scores the first with a cool finish before Casemiro helps himself to a brace before halftime. Substitute Kovacic heads in a fourth ten minutes from the end before Espanyol grab a consolation goal. A great win away from home to maintain our 100% record, and we’re already 10 points ahead of Atletico.

21 September 2016

Real Madrid vs Villarreal

It’s Villarreal up next in La Liga and there’s some good news as Bale is back from injury. I don’t want to rush him back into action though, so I leave him on the bench. Casemiro’s performance in our last game earns him another start, while Kroos and Marcelo return to the side.

Villarreal are never easy opponents, and they frustrate us for most of the first half. Just as it looks to be 0-0 heading into halftime, Ronaldo wins and duly converts a penalty. James puts a header wide after coming on in the second half, before fellow substitute Morata seals the win with a composed finish in the 82nd minute. That’s five wins from five now, and we’ve already opened up a five point lead over second placed Sevilla. Meanwhile, Atletico and Barcelona are languishing in midtable with a pathetic five points from five games. Hahahaha!

22 September 2016

Playing well on the pitch, and feeling good off the pitch. Sergio Ramos comes to tell me how happy he is with his game time. You do realise you’re the captain which means I’ll only drop you if you’re shit right Sergio?

24 September 2016

Las Palmas vs Real Madrid

It’s top vs bottom as we travel to the Canary Islands to play struggling Las Palmas. We’re riding a wave of confidence after five straight wins, but we have to ensure we’re not overconfident for this match. I make some changes to rotate the team, but Bale still has to make do with a place on the bench for now.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. A 3-0 win, as straight forward as they come against a team that is clearly short of confidence. Kroos sets us on our way in the first half with a brilliant curled effort into the top corner; his first of the season. Alen Halilovic gives us a scare when he hits the bar before Ronaldo makes it 2-0 in the 70th minute. Substitute Asensio then adds gloss to the scoreline with a third just before the end. Six wins in a row in La Liga, and we’re going to be hard to stop with form like this.

28 September 2016

Legia Warsaw vs Real Madrid

Matchday 2 in the Champions League takes us to Poland as we face Legia Warsaw. Just as in our last game, we’ll need to guard against complacency. Bale finally returns to the lineup, meaning the fabled BBC appears for the first time this season. Aside from Casilla replacing Navas in goal, this is probably my strongest lineup.

After waiting almost two months to have the BBC back together, it all turns to shit after less than 20 minutes. Ronaldo gets flattened by Michal Pazdan after going up for a header and has to be replaced by James. Are you f**king kidding me? Bale at least picks up the slack and gives us a halftime lead. Two Benzema goals either side of a goal by Modric in the second half make it 4-0 before Legia claim a consolation in injury time. An easy win then, but hopefully Ronaldo’s injury isn’t too serious…