16 months into his managerial career, Zinedine Zidane could very well have two UEFA Champions League trophies, one La Liga title, one UEFA Supercup and the FIFA Club World Cup to his name. Real Madrid’s iconic boss has been described as ‘lucky’ by his detractors, but the Frenchman is on the verge of history – with Madrid’s next 90 minutes about to decide his destiny.
Even if Real Madrid miss out on the UEFA Champions League, you cannot take away from what has been an excellent season by Los Blancos. Zidane has overseen his side break the all-time unbeaten record of a Spanish team, while also breaking another record of consecutive goals scored in all competitions.
Here are 5 things Zidane has gotten right this season:
#1 Managing an aging Ronaldo
Time and tide wait for no man but try telling Cristiano Ronaldo that. Even at the age of 32, the Madrid talisman has been enjoying one of his best seasons, despite missing the start of the season with an injury. If Ronaldo does end up winning his 5th Ballon d'Or, Zinedine Zidane deserves a large part of the credit.
The Portuguese superstar has always thrown strops whenever substituted, but this season had seen him accept his destiny whenever the board went up with his number on the touchline. Zidane has the aura to protect Ronaldo from himself - unleashing him in crunch games, while resting the Portuguese star against La Liga's minnows.
The Frenchman has even spared Ronaldo away trips as the season comes to an end - prior to the game against Celta Vigo, Ronaldo had been rested for four away games against Leganes, Gijon, Deportivo la Coruna and Granada, leaving him fresh for the business end of the season. The Portuguese star has responded, with crucial goals against Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, taking his tally to 39 goals for the season.
He’s played 729 fewer minutes this season, but if Cristiano Ronaldo walks away with a historic League and European Cup double, it was all worth it.
#2 Tactical Flexibility
Zinedine Zidane gets a raw deal from ‘so called’ pundits, who seem to imagine that he is all about man-management and knows very little about tactics. Even when Zidane became the first ever French manager to lift the UEFA Champions League last season, many attributed it to him galvanising the squad in an emotional sense, while completely ignoring his tactical feats.
The Real Madrid boss has firmly shoved the words of his critics down their throats this season, most notably in two instances. Spain woke up to his tactical genius earlier in the season when Zidane named an unfamiliar lineup against Atletico Madrid. It eventually resulted in a 4-4-1-1 formation that annihilated the Rojiblancos as Ronaldo scored his 39th career hat-trick, thriving in the space afforded to him.
Zidane’s next magical idea came at half time away to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final, when Madrid were lucky to only be a goal down going into the break. Zidane switched things up, making Gareth Bale drop into midfield and pushing Ronaldo up to play alongside Benzema. The result? Madrid came from behind to win 2-1 scoring two crucial away goals that proved pivotal in the second leg.
Zidane is no tactical novice – he can mix it with the best of them. The only true way to silence his critics would be to create history and win two consecutive UEFA Champions League trophies. The only other manager to ever do so? Arrigo Sacchi.
#3 Squad rotation
Barring Alvaro Morata, it’s important to note that Zinedine Zidane has achieved his success with the same squad that was overseen by Rafa Benitez. Madrid’s former boss was famed for his rotation policies throughout his career, but Zidane has taken the art (for it is very much an art in modern football) to another level.
Much has been made about the quality of Real Madrid’s ‘B Team’ this season, with plenty in the Spanish media screaming for more game-time for the likes of Alvaro Morata, Isco and even James Rodriguez. Zidane has played it perfectly – offering enough game time for his squad players to remain hungry, yet satisfied. Morata and Isco have enjoyed hugely effective seasons, largely in part due to Zidane’s rotation.
Real Madrid are two games away from completing a historic league and European Cup double (the last time Madrid achieved the feat was in 1958). Isco credits it all to Zidane’s rotation, saying “He's [Ronaldo] come into the final part of the season like a plane but it's not just him, everyone's like a plane. Where we are is thanks to Zidane's work.”
#4 Resisting Florentino Perez
Florentino Perez’ incessant whispering has been the bane of many a Real Madrid manager in the past – just ask Carlo Ancelotti. However, Zidane possesses enough of an aura about himself that he can conceivably get away with telling the Real Madrid President that his ideas are wrong.
James Rodriguez has been a €80 million purchase that has spent much of Zidane’s reign on the bench – simply because he does not fit the Frenchman’s system. Any other season, any other manager and this would have been an issue as Perez would be keen on making sure his ‘galactico’ purchase got enough minutes on the pitch.
There are a few worrying signs though – the presence of Gareth Bale in the starting XI of the most recent El Clasico raised eyebrows, as the Welshman was rushed back from an injury, while an in-form Isco was benched. Zidane will face his biggest challenge this summer, as Florentino Perez eyes up another big purchase now that Madrid’s transfer ban has been lifted.
#5 Calm Presence
Real Madrid are a very ‘singular’ club, despite what the motto of their most hated rivals may claim. This is a club where it is almost routine to boo your own superstars for a mediocre half, let alone a spell of bad form – even a player of Cristiano Ronaldo’s calibre has not been spared by the Bernabeu boo-boys. Coupled with the sensationalist Spanish media, you’re looking at a cauldron that could spell doom when things go bad.
Zidane is the Real Madrid squad’s protective cocoon – he radiates a serenity that seems to transcend the hurly-burly nature of football.
Karim Benzema explained it best, saying “He is calm. He understands and knows how to manage great players. What is strong in him, is that he never puts you under pressure on the pitch. You never feel under pressure with him. Look at the semi-final against Atletico. We were quickly behind 2-0. You look at almost every manager, they are panicking at that moment in the match. He does not budge. He remains calm. When you see that on the pitch, you are calm too… He makes us play good football. Quite simply.”
