“What is gone is gone,” said Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Monday evening in Istanbul. “Everything is forgotten in football – all I’ve done at Madrid, as a player too. That is life. It can be annoying, but I can’t stop people giving their opinions. What I must do is be positive and give my all. I like difficult moments, you get to show your personality.” Zidane was being asked whether he thought his work as Madrid coach was undervalued, given the widespread feeling he will be fired if his team lose to Galatasaray in Tuesday evening’s Champions League Group A game.
The former galactico of course won three Champions Leagues during his first two and a half season spell as Madrid coach. However things have not gone well since he returned to the job last March, and Saturday’s 0-1 La Liga defeat at newly promoted Real Mallorca brought well-sourced local media stories saying that Blancos club president Florentino Perez’s patience was almost up.
“I don’t know,” Zidane responded when asked if he felt his job was on the line. “Don’t ask me. I always want to be here. [But] we all know how things are. You should ask somebody else.”
Whether the coach is to blame for Madrid’s current predicament is a moot question. On his return to the job he talked a lot about a ‘second project’ and building a new side. Those plans were frustrated during the summer, most obviously with Gareth Bale remaining and Paul Pogba not arriving. What is clear is that the team are now playing just as badly now as under Julen Lopetegui and Santi Solari last year.
️ Zidane: "You feel bad as we did not play the game we wanted. When you start like we did, it is difficult. Last 20 of first half were good, but after break we got anxious and couldn't score." #RMLiga pic.twitter.com/l17kW5wPYR
— Infinite Madrid (@InfiniteMadrid) October 19, 2019
Madrid were awful at San Moix on Saturday night, with a mix’n’match team giving another completely disjointed performance. The only surprise was that it was their first La Liga defeat of the season, and also stuttering starts from title rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid mean they remain close to the top of the table.
The situation is more complicated in Europe – where the 0-3 defeat at Paris Saint Germain in the opening UCL group game had a devastating effect. Going 0-2 down at home to Club Bruges in match-day two did not help the nerves either, even if getting back to 2-2 by full-time means Madrid are still well placed to qualify assuming they can get some semblance of form back.
Generally though it is clear that the relationship between Zizou and president Perez has broken, especially from how favoured local reporters keep blaming the Frenchman for mistakes in transfer policy, dodgy tactics and even all the team’s recent injuries. The postponement of next Saturday’s La Liga Clasico at Barcelona makes a change at this point easier.
It is also evident that Jose Mourinho is the president’s choice to come back for a second spell as coach and 'clean up the mess'. Ex-Juventus and AC Milan coach Max Allegri would be a more conciliatory choice, but Perez actually wants the conflict which the Portuguese’s return would bring to the dressing-room. Coincidentally or not, Mourinho has appeared regularly in the Spanish press through recent weeks, talking of his “fantastic memories” from his time on the Bernabeu bench from 2010 to 2013.
Love him or hate him, but this was a brilliant moment during Mourinho’s tenure as Real Madrid’s coach. Bowing down to the entire Real Madrid squad after securing the Liga title. pic.twitter.com/38HK8pbHlj
— Xav Salazar (@XavsFutbol) August 8, 2018
Someone who also remembers Mourinho’s extra-turbulent time as Madrid coach is current club captain Sergio Ramos, who was on media duty on Monday evening: “Everybody knows that the dressingroom is with Zizou to the death,” Ramos responded when asked if he felt Zidane’s job was in jeopardy, echoing a phrase he used just before Lopetegui was fired almost exactly 12 months ago. “Whatever happens in the future, we have to show we are united and trust in our coach. Anyway, Zidane is battle-hardened to it all at this stage.”
Ramos also ‘let slip’ that he thought Zidane got worse media coverage than Mourinho, who never made it past the Champions League semi-finals as Madrid coach.
“It is true that people use a different yardstick depending on who they are talking about,” the Andalusian said. “Certain players and coaches are treated differently, I won’t give you any names. It would be easy to say that Zidane stays until the end of the season, that would end the debate. We players get tired of talking about new coaches.”
Zinedine Zidane has risked it all and deserves nothing but respect.
"Dressing room will go to death for Zizou. That's how much he means." – Sergio Ramos
Let's support the man. He's done way too much to be treated like a nobody. pic.twitter.com/cYzXYS0vwb
— Loconte⚽️ (@Loconte199) October 21, 2019
Perez could make that public statement whenever he wants, but the wily politician prefers to keep his options open. In theory a game against Galatasaray should be just what Madrid and Zidane need. The Turkish side have won just one of 17 meetings in European competition, as it happens a 3-2 victory in a UCL quarter-final second leg during Mourinho's final year as Blancos coach [although Madrid did go through 5-3 on aggregate].
Fatih Terim’s side are currently struggling themselves, fifth in the Turkish Süper Lig,with just nine goals in eight games. They also have zero goals and one point from their first two UCL outings. Even a point would realistically leave Madrid well placed to still go through, especially if PSG beat Bruges in Tuesday's other game to all but secure qualification already themselves.
But defeat could bring Mourinho back. Seven months before Istanbul hosts the 2019/20 Champions League decider, Zidane faces a final at the Ali Sami Yen stadium on Tuesday night.
