Real Madrid have 10 goals in two games since Zinedine Zidane took over, all scored by the ‘BBC’ – Bale, Benzema and Cristiano.
The squad look relaxed, happy and in ominously good form, however the big dark cloud overhead cannot be ignored.
In this most disastrous of seasons for Los Blancos, the last thing Florentino Perez needed was to be hit with a transfer ban, imposed by Fifa.
Along with city neighbours Atletico, Real are, after the conclusion of this particular transfer window, banned for the next two.
It means that unless Zidane signs players over the next 12 days or so, he will be stuck with the same squad for the next 18 months, unable to replenish the stock until July 2017 at the earliest.
Perez was quick to note that Real would be appealing the decision, pointing out that the claim they had signed foreign players under the age of 18 without being properly registered was “absolutely untrue”. A defence also used by FC Barcelona.
But as the Catalans found out to their cost, there’s little hope of the appeal succeeding.
Frankly, the appeal process was a waste of time but they were, at least, given time to stockpile reinforcements.
Barca’s ban was handed down at the beginning of summer 2014 and with the appeal quickly lodged, the Catalans were able to take advantage of the transfer window from July of that year.
They made seven new signings, including Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic, and they were of obvious benefit over the course of 2014/15, another treble-winning campaign for the Blaugrana.
That Real and Atleti have had the ban slapped on them in the middle of a transfer window changes the landscape entirely.
They somehow need to replenish and revitalise their squads in under a fortnight.
Given there are a few aging limbs in both sides, Academy players are most likely to be drafted in over the course of the year-and-a-half to fill certain voids.
It will certainly be incredibly interesting for the neutral observer.
For example, are there any professionals who would be willing to be registered by either club with a view to staying on the sidelines for at least six months, per Aleix Vidal and Arda Turan at Barcelona?
The Rojiblancos are perhaps better equipped managerially to ride out the storm too.
Diego Simeone will be courted by Chelsea and the like over the summer but if he resists the lure of Roman Abramovic’s rubles, he’ll continue to keep his charges competitive.
Zidane doesn’t have the experience to be able to deal with such a huge blow so soon in his career and if things start to unravel for him, he is hamstrung in many respects as to how to alleviate any issues.
Perez, for once, can’t exercise his trigger finger either. Who on earth would take that job knowing that they can’t bring new players in?!
On the face of it, this is the biggest of opportunities for the likes of Celta Vigo, Valencia and Sevilla et al to break the two-team monotony at the summit.
La Liga just got exciting again.
