No sign of the changes promised by Zidane Real Madrid The results haven't improved

Real Madrid were expected to leave behind an underwhelming 2018/19 campaign and start a new chapter commencing this summer, but the team's performances in the first few matches of pre-season don't show any signs of improvement.

Following Los Blancos' 7-3 humiliation at the hands of Atletico Madrid, Zinedine Zidane tried to transmit tranquillity to both the players and the fans.

New signings have arrived, players have departed as they were not part of the Frenchman's plans, but there are certain things that remain intact in the team.

The same starting line-up

Madrid's first XI hasn't changed from the one that finished last season, apart from Eden Hazard, and the rest of the newcomers are thus far expected to take up a place on the bench.

Zidane is relying on the players that lifted the three consecutive Champions League trophies, with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the midfield and Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and then either Raphael Varane or Nacho Fernandez in defence.

The same apathy

After the defeat against Atletico, the French tactician emphasised the team's lack of intensity, which was one of the main issues Madrid faced last season.

"We didn't start the game well, we lacked intensity and we conceded seven," he explained.

The friendly against Los Rojiblancos wasn't any different from their defeats against Rayo Vallecano, Real Sociedad and Real Betis in the final stretch of the 2018/19 campaign.

The same issues between the goalposts

Thibaut Courtois recently revealed that he is Zidane's first-choice goalkeeper, but he still faces the problems of last season when he conceded five goals at Barcelona, three against Sevilla and four against Ajax.

This time it was Atletico Madrid players who scored as many as five goals past him in the first half.

The same average of injuries

Madrid ended last season with 43 injuries in total, which translates to one injured player per week, and they are following the same path in pre-season, despite changing their fitness coach and physios.

Los Blancos return from the United States with four injured players: Brahim Diaz, Ferland Mendy, Marco Asensio and Luka Jovic.

The same lack of trust in young players

Last season, Santiago Solari introduced several young players into the starting line-up, including Marcos Llorente, Sergio Reguilon and Vinicius Junior.

Upon his return, Zidane dropped them to the bench and went for more experienced as he favoured the likes of Kroos, Modric and Isco.

His move was regarded as a way of putting these players in the shopping window, but the reality is that he considers them to be starters.

The same hesitation in making big signings

Following a devastating season, Real Madrid fans expected the board to acquire players who would be considered as starters from day one.

Their only big signing, however, has been that of Eden Hazard, and the rest who arrived at the club are there to complement the existing players.

Fans dreamt of a summer transfer market similar to that of 2009, when Florentino Perez brought players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Kaka and Karim Benzema, but the club don't seem willing to spend big.