Real Madrid Player Awards and Honours at the Midway Stage of the Season
Real Madrid's 2016/17 season has been an exciting and eventful one so far, mixing in the lows of injuries to key players and frustrations at unexpectedly dropping points, with the incredible highs of two more trophy successes—UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup—and being top of La Liga at the winter break.
There's lots more to come from the squad who are in with a great chance of lifting at least one, if not two more pieces of silverware this term, and there are plenty of players who have shown signs that they are ready to contribute far more in the second half of the campaign.
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It could all change in a season-long look as to which players have impressed the most, but who takes the team awards at the midway point of the campaign? B/R assesses the season so far for Los Blancos and doles out the player awards to those who have deserved them most.
Player of the Year
There are a couple of candidates, as Madrid's overall season has been beset by injuries and inconsistency, but it's difficult to argue against Cristiano Ronaldo once again.
The numbers stack up—16 goals in 19 games, despite being injured through pre-season—but more than that, it's when he has had his big impacts that he has made the difference.
A late goal against Sporting CP in the Champions League, a hat-trick in the derby against Atletico, vital goals to seal wins over Alaves and Sporting Gijon and, most recently, a hat-trick in the Club World Cup final. That's not bad to go alongside his Ballon d'Or.
Young player
Since we take young to mean 21 or under, there aren't many candidates—but Marco Asensio's start to the season was extremely impressive.
As is natural for a younger player still making his way, he'll have peaks and troughs to his form, and his time out of the side now is nothing unusual. He's clearly a special player with lots to offer Zinedine Zidane's squad, this year and beyond, and even if the rest of the campaign is spent as a squad option, his first two months were beneficial.
He was the team's top scorer and top player for a spell, and it hints at what is yet to come.
Most improved
There's no question about this one: Mateo Kovacic.
The Croatian midfielder was a bit-part player last season but has been critical for Madrid this term, making the most of the chances afforded to him because of injuries elsewhere. He's still not going to be considered a first-team starter for Zidane by the looks of things—quite possibly an oversight by the coach—but has shown he can fill the void in the centre of the park whenever required.
Tactically, technically and mentally, Kovacic has been near-perfect as a fourth central-midfield option for Madrid's central three this term.
Most consistent
In a squad where many players bounce from brilliant to bemusing within the space of a single half of football, Toni Kroos spent the first four months of the season somewhere back toward his best form.
Whether as an advanced No. 8 in a three-man midfield or as part of a double pivot when Luka Modric and Casemiro were out injured, Kroos provided a steady supply line of possession to the attackers and combined well with the aforementioned Kovacic for a spell.
He might not reach 10-out-of-10 performances too often, but Kroos at full capacity makes Madrid play better overall more often than not.
Best goal
There are several candidates here, but for audacity, spectacular value and shock factor, it goes to backup defender Nacho.
His side-on volley in the Copa del Rey was a special moment, and even Zidane hailed it as better than his own from the Champions League final from his playing days.
Best team performance
A pair of 3-0 victories on the road are the candidates here, and although the early-season victory at Anoeta was notable, with Real Sociedad often giving Real Madrid trouble in recent seasons, the pick of the bunch has to be the derby success at the Vicente Calderon.
Atletico Madrid were even seen as favourites for the game, in form themselves and against a sometimes-disjointed Real side, but Zidane's charges swept the floor with their rivals and utterly controlled the match, finishing with nothing less than they deserved: three goals and three points.
It was the best all-round performance of the season so far, no question, in terms of both importance and quality.
Best cameo
Mariano Diaz has a somewhat outstanding record this season: a goal scored or an assist created every 26 minutes of play with the first team.
"The Real Madrid squad in the Calderon away dressing room after the 0-3 drubbing of Atlético in the #MadridDerby... HALA MADRID! ✊ pic.twitter.com/3fTZOxFUig
— M•A•J (@UItraSuristic) November 21, 2016"
The 23-year-old forward has scored five and assisted one in six appearances, including a Copa del Rey hat-trick, but his appearance as a sub in La Liga vs. Deportivo La Coruna was the catalyst for Real Madrid's comeback.
In fewer than 20 minutes on the pitch, he showed the aggressiveness, movement and desire the team had been lacking in the match and helped turn around a 2-1 deficit to a 3-2 victory in mid-December, including scoring the equalising goal himself. He made a big impact, just what was needed, and it should help secure a favourable move in January, while keeping him in Zidane's mind for the longer term.
Underrated
Whether by the opposition players or the home support, Lucas Vazquez somehow escapes getting the most attention—and thrives on it.
The fleet-footed winger is tactically impressive and selfless with his work rate, helping out Madrid whenever they need it and however he is required. His link play is good, he has a great understanding with Ronaldo...and yet he is only a sub until injuries strike elsewhere.
Zidane knows his worth, though, and shows it: Even though it might only be for 20 minutes, Lucas plays almost every game. He has made more appearances than any other Madrid player this season, 23, despite not even reaching the top 11 by minutes on the pitch.
Potential to break out in 2017
The attacking-midfield battle has occupied the media and fans for much of 2016, but the striker berth is up for grabs, too—and we're backing Alvaro Morata to further stake his claim in the second part of the campaign.
The Spanish forward has a better minutes-per-goal ratio this season than Karim Benzema, has a longer-term future at the club and works an awful lot harder, but he still has work to do to match Benzema's goal prowess over the longer term.
Expect Morata to spark in a big way when it counts and the silverware is getting closer, and if he does, it might be enough to propel him to No. 1 striker for next season and beyond.
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