Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane only has eyes for his sons
Enzo and Luca are two of the academy players most often in the Madrid first team squad
The presence of Zinedine Zidane on the Real Madrid bench has not been as good for some of the club's youth players as it has for others. As was the case when he was Castilla manager, the Frenchman pays much more attention to his sons, in the form of Luca and Enzo, the eldest of the Zidane brothers at the club. The data confirms as much.
Some say Zidane became a manager to be able to help his sons' careers. He's not hidden that when it comes to giving opportunities to players in Madrid's academy. In fact, both Luca and Enzo are two of the three academy players that have spent the most time in the first team this season. Belgian Alex Craninx completes the list.
Zidane's paternal instincts kick in when it comes to making decisions. Luca and Craninx, the two goalkeepers for Castilla, have the honour of being the academy players used in the first team squad the most. They've both alternated until now and have appeared in the squad four times. Luca has been called up for three league games and one Super Cup game, although on each occasion he's not made the final squad.
STUNNING progressIOn
The progession of Luca, 18, has been rapid. He started the season in Juvenil A and is now a regular in the Castilla side and one of the players regularly involved with the first team. The weight of his surname cannot be denied.
And it's the same with Enzo, 21. The midfielder has been in three squads this season, all in the Copa del Rey, and even had the chance to play against Cultural Leonesa. He scored, too, in a well-rounded first team bow. The advantages of being the boss' son. Both Luca and Enzo were involved in the club's preseason tour, too.
Other academy players like Odegaard, who has gone on loan to Heerenveen, and Tejero were also used in that Copa game, although Zidane has only called them up twice so far. Zidane has given 225 minutes to three academy players. Odegaard and Tejero have both had 90; Enzo 45.
Valverde, Febas and Achraf, meanwhile, have only been called up to the first team squad once, but the likes of Sergio Díaz, Abner and Lienhart have never been called up.
Also coming through the club's youth system are the younger of the Zidane boys, Theo (14) and Elyaz (11).
