Zinedine Zidane is the right man for the job of Real Madrid coach, former team-mate David Beckham said on Monday after the Spanish club sacked Rafa Benitez and replaced him with the French World Cup winner. "Does it get any better than this??," the former England captain, who played with Zidane at Real after joining from Manchester United in 2003, declared on Instagram.
zidane Image: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane. Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images. An elated but pragmatic Zinedine Zidane has quickly turned his mind from the Champions League victory against AS Roma to Real Madrid's seemingly impossible task to catch Barcelona in La Liga. Real are getting better under Zidane, unbeaten in seven matches in all competitions after Wednesday's 2-0 win in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Rome, thanks to a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo. But only a couple of hours earlier, Barcelona had left Real and Atletico Madrid with a tough task to overhaul them in the league race when they secured a six-point cushion with a 3-1 win at Sporting Gijon. With 14 matches to go for all the teams in La Liga, Barcelona have 60 points to Atletico's 54 and Real's 53 and are favourites to win a sixth title in eight seasons. "We are seven points behind and it will be difficult, but we are giving it everything and we are all happy," Zidane was quoted as saying on the Real website (www.realmadrid.com).
'We've always been behind Zidane because he is a humble person who likes to listen, and that always makes things easier'
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane lavished praise on Cristiano Ronaldo after the three-time world player of the year appeared to struggle through the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
David Beckham believes Real Madrid should give his former team mate at the club, Zinedine Zidane, time to succeed even if the French great fails to inspire them to victory in the Champions League final later this month.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane warned that it was still all to play for in their Champions League last-16 clash against Napoli after the holders strolled to a 3-1 win in the first leg on Wednesday.
Zinedine Zidane's appointment as Real Madrid coach in place of Rafa Benitez has handed the club's former France great his chance to follow up a stellar career on the pitch with management success at the highest level.
Real Madrid have no intention of making a quick profit on striker Alvaro Morata after the Champions League winners opted to take him back to the Bernabeu from Juventus last month, the Spanish side's manager Zinedine Zidane has said. Real sold Morata to Juventus two seasons ago but included a buy-back clause in his contract, which they exercised in July after the forward scored 27 goals in 93 games in Italy and three for Spain during the European Championship.
Xabi Alonso has signed a three-year contract until June 2028 and the 43-year-old replaces Carlo Ancelotti, who took charge of his last game on Saturday.
Real Madrid will carry their momentum from Saturday's 'Clasico' victory over rivals Barcelona into their Champions League quarter-final first leg at struggling VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday, coach Zinedine Zidane said. Real scored their first league win at the Nou Camp since 2012, inflicting the first home defeat for Barcelona since February 2015. "It is very important to have got the win here for our confidence and for the remainder of the season and with it coming right before our Champions League game in Germany," said Zidane. "We know just how important the Champions League is and we want to advance, so winning here in Barcelona was very important." The Frenchman took over from Rafael Benitez at the start of the year and on Saturday came through his first big test with flying colours.
'It's not like that. It's more complicated. With Bale it's always about one side against the other. But I've never had a problem with Gareth.'
Real Madrid fan Rafael Nadal has extended his support over the appointment of new manager Zinedine Zidane, saying that he deserves to lead one of the most important clubs in the world.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane handed a La Liga debut to his son Luca by starting him in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Villarreal in their final Liga game of the season, making the goalkeeper the third Zidane family member to play for the Spanish giants.
Real Madrid will not take any risk in rushing forward Gareth Bale back from injury and the Wales international will only return when he is ready, manager Zinedine Zidane said. Bale has not played since Jan. 17 after damaging a calf muscle in a La Liga match against Sporting Gijon. Spanish media have reported that Bale, whose Real career has been blighted by a succession of injuries, suffered a setback in his recovery. Zidane said Real needed to be "calm" about an injury that has been "going on for a bit more time for him". "If he's uncomfortable and it hurts him, it's normal that he could have a setback," Zidane told a news conference on Friday. "He's a very important player for us and we're not going to take any risks. We want him at 100 percent, not at 80 or 85." Zidane said Bale was "in good spirits" although he is set to miss at least the first leg of Real's Champions League last-16 clash with AS Roma in Italy on Wednesday.
Steven Gerrard is second only to Zinedine Zidane in terms of his world-class status, says former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen.
Zinedine Zidane has said his side are in a delicate situation as they prepare to host arch-rivals Barcelona in a La Liga title showdown on Sunday
Zinedine Zidane hailed Real Madrid's remarkable strength in depth as the key to his side entering their final game of the season at Malaga on the brink of lifting their first La Liga title since 2012.
Real Madrid's Intercontinental Cup triumph marked a remarkable milestone for Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday as the Italian became the manager with the most titles in the club's history with a total of 15 trophies.
They were each handed a torch in the Jardin des Tuileries after several top sporting names, including French soccer great Zinedine Zidane, Spain's 14-times French Open tennis champion Rafael Nadal, American 23-times Grand Slam winner Serena Williams and Romanian gymnastics great Nadia Comaneci.
After seeing Cristiano Ronaldo pick up a fifth Ballon d'Or on Thursday, Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane described the Portuguese forward as the greatest player ever.
Zinedine Zidane got off to a flying start as Real Madrid coach when Gareth Bale hit a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday after a Lionel Messi treble had fired Barcelona to the top of La Liga.
France's Zinedine Zidane, Argentina's Diego Maradona, Brazil's Ronaldo and Italy's Fabio Cannavaro etched their names in football folklore by winning the game's biggest prize for their country. However, their return to the same stage four years later is best forgotten.
Real Madrid players, on Monday, returned to training under 'strict health rules' amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Former France and Real Madrid great Zinedine Zidane believes Spain playmaker Isco could be almost as good as him one day, club coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday.
PSG coach Unai Emery said he wanted to be optimistic that his 222-million euro ($273 million) signing would be available to face Real as the French league leaders bid to overcome a 3-1 deficit to avoid an early exit from the tournament.
Paris 2024 organising committee president Tony Estanguet on Sunday said the person who will light the cauldron on Friday was not yet aware they had been selected.
Luka Modric has played almost 600 games for Real and won nearly 30 trophies including a record six Champions League titles and four LaLiga trophies.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has opened the door to out-of-favour midfielder James Rodriguez leaving the club by admitting the player's lack of appearances could become a problem.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said he was disappointed that he was only asked about the referee's decisions after his side earned a 2-1 victory at Real Sociedad on Sunday to climb above Barcelona and top La Liga.
Real hold a 2-1 lead after the first leg in Germany last week, however the Frenchman insists the job is nowhere near complete.
Italy beat France 5-3 on penalties after the two teams finished 1-1 after extra-time in a dramatic final.
Real Madrid will be targeting a sixth consecutive victory since the COVID-19 hiatus when they host Getafe, looking to capitalise on Barca's 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday
Several records and milestones were set after Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in the Champions League final on Saturday. With the victory Real became the first team to win three straight titles in the Champions League era.
Real are third in the league standings with 54 points after 28 games, two behind second-placed Atletico Madrid who visit Athletic Bilbao later on Saturday and nine points behind leaders Barcelona who play at Real Betis on Sunday.
Rafa Benitez has been sacked as coach of Real Madrid, according to reports in the Spanish press. Sunday night's 2-2 draw with Valencia has proved to be the final straw for president Florentino Perez with the club likely to confirm the news soon. France legend Zinedine Zidane - the coach of Real Madrid's second team, Castilla - is expected to take over.
Criticisms from all corners for FIFA's new video technology
Spanish media have reported that Real president Florentino Perez would be keen to recruit former coach Mourinho, currently without a club, should Zidane be relieved of his duties.
