Madrid (AFP) – Few expected Zinedine Zidane to leave Real Madrid and even fewer expected him to come back as coach.
And yet almost 500 days later, he has won the La Liga title, without fuss, without even the improvements he was promised.
On Thursday, in an empty Alfredo di Stefano Stadium at Real Madrid’s training ground, he hoisted another trophy, his second in La Liga and 11th overall as coach.
Zidane currently wins a trophy every 19 games on average and while three Champions League titles out of three was historic, this might be his most impressive yet.
When he was reappointed in March last year, Madrid president Florentino Perez said Zidane had come again to launch “a glorious new era”.
But standing next to him was Madrid’s third coach of the season, taking over a team 12 points behind Barcelona, having just been knocked out and outplayed by Ajax in the Champions League.
Most thought it was a mistake, the coach that had gone out on the highest of highs returning to a team in tatters.
Cristiano Ronaldo was gone and it seemed those that remained had lost the hunger. “We will change things, for sure, and for the years to come,” Zidane said.
Change, though, would have to wait and then it never really came at all. Zidane saw out a miserable 11 games of last season where performances grew worse not better.
Anticipation of a summer overhaul increased as Madrid’s newspapers published polls revelling in which of the world’s best players should arrive.
Kylian Mbappe or Neymar? “I would like them both,” said Perez.
Zidane did not want them all but there was one he desperately wanted, Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, who he was convinced could change everything.
Yet Pogba stayed put and so too did Gareth Bale, who Zidane was assured would be sold. “It would be best for everyone,” he said.
Hazard did sign, for 100 million euros, but arrived overweight and then got injured, the opening sequence of his nightmare first year in Spain.
Instead of a sparkling new era, Zidane was handed more of the same but when the inevitable questions came about broken promises, he refused to stoke the fire.
“The decisions that are up to me are on the pitch,” he said.
The trouble was those were no better. Draws against Valladolid and Villarreal were followed by humiliation in Paris. Defeat by Real Mallorca in October left Zidane on the brink of the sack.
from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2ZG322J
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