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It had to be him. Dorn and disciplined, publicly accused of being out of shape, unprofessional and having dropped his teammates, ostracized since October. The day that Zinedine Zidane returned, Isco returned with him and scored the goal that allowed Real Madrid to win his first home win of five. Not a single departure from Santiago Solari, there was something symbolic in the way he and the rest of the old guard were in the center.
Gareth Bale also had something symbolic to gain the second goal: a man supposed to be on his way, perhaps taking a fresh start. It is early to say, but there was something there that seemed to speak of a recognition of glory days and a clue that the future of Bernabéu might look a little bit like the past.
The departure XI alone was striking. Zidane found what he knew and his return ended with a win, although this afternoon often disappointing, that success did not seem certain until Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema scored the goal for Isco just after the hour. 15 minutes later, when Bale took the lead, it was done.
After all the defeats, all the disappointments, there was something to rejoice. Zidane's return, to begin with – and that mattered almost more than anything else, the game sometimes feeling accidental. Applauding as he sat on the bench, a banner was unfurled at the south end of the stadium, replicating Zidane's replica Monday night: "I love Madrid … and here I am. Jude.
In recent days, it has sometimes been felt that Zidane had never left. When the team has been revealed, this feeling is deepened. Of the starting lineup, only Álvaro Odriozola was not there last season and there was no other choice given the injury of Dani Carvajal. It is true that the absentees also conditioned the other decisions of Zidane – Vinícius Júnior, Lucas Vázquez and Casemiro were all unavailable – the team was surprising. Maybe not a statement of intent – just the first of 11 alignments – but certainly a statement: he would decide.
Some of those he decided to include appeared ready to fill out lists of probable departures, victims of the purge. Here there was a revolution, or perhaps a counter-revolution. Thibaut Courtois, signed for 40 M € this summer, was left out. Keylor Navas, whom Zidane had publicly supported, vetoing the move for Kepa Arrizabalaga, started his fourth league game this season. Isco, dropped by Solari and sanctioned by the club, started his first match since the last match of Julen Lopetegui. And Marcelo, who had definitely lost to Sergio Reguilón, started his third league match in 2019.
Bale started too. Zidane's return seemed bad news, but Bale was given an opportunity: a player invited to answer and prove a point, while others were asked to return the loyalty. He and Isco scored the occasion with goals.
Navas scored the goal with a superb header from Maxi Gómez. And that is Marcelo who shot the first stop Rubén Blanco. But that chance came after 35 minutes and in reality, little was happening. Worse still, it was felt that Celta, in the relegation zone, could perhaps cause problems in Madrid. Maxi folded wide and Raphael Varane blocked Sofiane Boufal's shot.
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In the end, Madrid found its way to victory, the pace accelerating in the second half, the match being now favorable. After scoring the first match, Isco was ovationné and Bale added the second. As the last minutes pbaded, they resumed singing, serenading the man who was coming back as he had never left.
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