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When Zinedine Zidane leads his Real Madrid side into Saturday’s Champions League final against Liverpool in Kiev, it will be his 149th match in charge of Los Blancos’ top team.
When he took over from Rafael Benitez on January 4, 2016, there was some scepticism over his suitability for the job. He had enjoyed a great career as a player but his experience as a coach was limited, and having seen peers such as Diego Maradona flounder in the dugout, there were silent concerns that one of Madrid’s all-time great players may do likewise.
Concerns were rapidly brushed aside as his side scored five or more goals in three of his first four matches in charge.
While it would be wrong to say it has been all rosy since he took command – there was the suggestion he might be sacked earlier this season – he has already created history in his short tenure, becoming the first coach ever to win back-to-back Champions Leagues while boasting a formidable record of 104 wins against just 16 defeats.
His time in the dugout has, therefore, been a successful one to date, and here are the five matches that have come to define his legacy in a relatively short period.
#5 Real Madrid 3-0 Wolfsburg (12/4/2016)
The Spanish side went into the game trailing 2-0 from the first leg, in which they had produced an out-of-sorts performance that did little to suggest they would be able to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.In years to come, Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Wolfsburg may be looked back on as a pivotal moment in the club’s modern history, and certainly that in the career of young coach Zidane.
If Madrid had been poor defensively in that first leg, they gave a far more complete account of themselves at the Bernabeu, with Cristiano Ronaldo typically the man to lead the comeback.
Before 20 minutes were up in the Spanish capital, the Portuguese talisman had drawn them back on terms, first poaching from close range and then glancing home a header. With 13 minutes remaining, the club’s record scorer then blasted a free kick through a fragmented defensive wall to complete the turnaround.
Zidane praised the “special” attacker in his ranks but was eager to point out that it had been a team effort to stage the remarkable comeback – one inspired by the Frenchman in the dugout.
Had Madrid not succeeded in overcoming the Germans, who knows where the club might have found themselves. Instead, their victory gave them greater resolve and belief in the weeks ahead.
#4 Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid (5-3 win on penalties on 28/5/2016)
If the win against Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals had shown that Los Blancos possessed impressive mental resolve, that fact was confirmed by the manner in which they claimed their 11th Champions League title against their city rivals.
This was certainly not Madrid’s most fluent performance under Zidane, with even Sergio Ramos’ opening goal coming in a state of controversy. And despite the undoubted style of Ronaldo and Gareth Bale going forward, it was the fact that they matched their neighbours’ industry and organisation that was what really caught the eye.
Atleti were able to get back into the match with little over 10 minutes remaining as Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco scored, but while such a blow might have sunk lesser sides, Real were able to stabilise themselves in extra time and then hold their nerve during a penalty shootout, in which all five of their takers scored.
“Towards the end we suffered physically,” Zidane admitted in the aftermath. “The players had cramps but that's normal. Mentally, there's a lot of pressure. You have to fight and we've got there by working hard.”
#3 Atletico Madrid 0-3 Real Madrid (19/11/2016)
When Zidane took over for the second half of the 2015-16 season, he had the luxury of being able to commit his focus largely on the Champions League, as Barcelona were already clear in La Liga. In his second season, though, there was a greater onus on him to perform in the top flight.
In delivering Madrid’s first league title since 2011-12, there can be little doubt that he did so in spectacular fashion.
One of the key results that term was a thumping derby success over the team they had beaten in the Champions League final six months earlier.
Diego Simeone’s men were noted for their resolve and in the last city derby to be played at the Vicente Calderon, it was expected that they would come out as aggressive and physical as ever to make a mark on their local rivals.
Real, inspired by the opportunity to open up a four-point gap to Barcelona, who had been earlier held to a scoreless draw in Malaga, had other ideas.
In particular, Ronaldo saw another opportunity to put his name up in lights, bagging his 39th career hat-trick in the process. It was certainly not his most glorious treble – he scored a deflected free kick, a penalty and tap in – but symbolically it was a huge blow, giving Real Madrid breathing space at the top of the standings and effectively ending Atleti’s hopes of a title push before December.
#2 Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid (13/8/2017)
Coming off the back of a league and European Cup double, Zidane’s side took the opportunity to stamp their authority on the new season at the first opportunity, as they scored an impressive 3-1 win in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup in the opening match of the campaign. Not only did his side win, they did so decisively – and without the help of Ronaldo from the beginning.
It was a typically dramatic Clasico, with Gerard Pique’s own goal putting Madrid into the ascendancy before Lionel Messi levelled with a penalty.
Ronaldo showcased his qualities again to put Madrid into the lead after coming off the bench and was subsequently booked for removing his shirt. Marco Asensio then made it 3-1 as Barca wilted, yet Ronaldo was dismissed after barging the referee in the back, earning him a five-match ban that he later branded “incomprehensible”.
While this match will be remembered primarily for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s dismissal, it should not be forgotten just how superior Madrid were to their great rivals.
Indeed, it seemed to have confirmed a new era of domestic dominance for Los Blancos, though history has shown otherwise as the Catalans ran away with the honours in the league.
#1 Juventus 0-3 Real Madrid (3/4/2018)
The quarter-finals of this season’s Champions League threw up a repeat of the 2017 final. Juventus were expected to be able to keep things competitive at home but found themselves blown away by a Real Madrid side in rampant form.
Ronaldo wrote himself into the history books once again as his finish after three minutes meant that he had become the first player to score in 10 consecutive matches in the competition, but it would be later in the game that his highlight moment came as he threw himself into the air to smash home a bicycle kick. It was a moment that even had the home fans on their feet.
That really was a turning point in the tie. Two minutes later, Juve talisman Paulo Dybala was sent off and before full-time Marcelo had added a third, with the Portuguese providing the assist.
“It's not easy to put three goals past Juve on their own field. We put in a great performance, but Juve also did very well, put us under pressure and had the chances to score goals, but we were more clinical,” Zidane, a former star in Turin, said after the match.
As happy as he would have been about his side’s performance in that clash, he would be left furious a week later as they nearly undid all their good work at home, eventually winning through thanks to a controversial late penalty.
