Lopetegui's forgotten men at Real Madrid given a second chance under Solari

Santiago Solari got everything right during his debut for Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey clash against Melilla. The Argentinian coach followed Lopetegui's lead by giving his star men a rest and instead opting for those who have yet to force their team in the first team picture. However Solari also left his on stamp on how he wanted the team to play as well as boosting the confidence of the current reserves. Vinicius, Reguilon and Odriozola were the standout performers. All three players weren't given a chance under the previous coach.

To those three you can add the names of Marcos Llorente and Javi Sanchez, both of which added much needed muscle to what had been a vulnerable defence under Lopetegui's reign. The former coach didn't look to change personnel or adapt to the team's problems and this ultimately led to his early exit from the post. Solari has recovered the style mastered under Zidane, both in attack and on the counter, something which had been lost under Lopetegui. 

VINIciUS's talent

Lopetegui only gave the Brazilian starlet Vinicius Jr. 12 minutes of game time, yet in 90 minutes under Solari he showed his immense talent. The tricky forward freshened up an attack which had become predictable and hadn't scored in over six hours. Reguilon played 90 minutes but never managed to convince Lopetegui, who preferred to use Nacho whenever Marcelo wasn't available. The academy star was solid in defence and helped Vinicius and Asensio out in attack too.

Perhaps the most damning case under Lopetegui was his use of Odriozola. He's the natural replacement for Carvajal but he ended up becoming fourth in line to the right back slot. No one understood this decision and less so after his incredible performance against Melilla, where he even got on the scoresheet. Lopetegui instead opted for Nacho to cover Carvajal's absence or Lucas Vazquez. Now it's clear why he was sacked: he didn't get his team selections right.