Former Real Madrid defender: “The expectations on Zidane are huge!”
– Christoph Metzelder speaks about Zidane and his managing career as the Real Madrid coach
– Zidane Zidane was appointed as the Real Madrid manager in January
Christoph Metzelder, the former defender of Real Madrid, says that he does not envy the task and pressure facing Zinedine Zidane as the manager.
It would be recalled that Rafa Benitez was sacked by Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane named as his replacement.
Metzelder said: “The expectations are huge. He is a world star and he knows Real Madrid – he basically never left after he joined. There is a big hope they can develop a star coach from within the club like Barcelona did with Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, that he can build an era. That is extremely difficult to do.”
He continued: “So far the team lacks consistency. There were great victories at home and strong performances in the Champions League, but you have to admit that they let Barcelona go in the league.”
Ahead of the Clasico Metzelder admits that the game is unlike any other game he played in during his 15-year career: “During my career I was privileged to play in some big derbies. Of course, there is the Ruhr derby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke which is electrifying for many people. But the Clasico is a whole different story. It is a global event, which interests millions, maybe billions, of people around the planet. It is the biggest sporting event I don’t want to compare [the atmosphere] with games in Germany, like in Dortmund. There is more tension there.”
“I remember Madridistas applauding Barcelona after their victories to honour their performance. In Germany it is more likely the seats are ripped out,” the player stressed.
Speaking about Barcelona’s 6-2 victory at the Bernabeu during Guardiola’s first season in charge in 2009, Metzelder added: “Of course the fans were disappointed, but there were no riots or anything. It was the opposite; some of the fans applauded Barcelona for their great match.”
GET for FREE: Get the latest sports news on Naij Sports
“Since I was on the pitch that day, I am glad the first match of this season (Barcelona’s 4-0 victory in November) is the worst home defeat for Real now,” the German said.
The 35-year-old, who retired in 2014, concluded: “I am not neutral, of course, so a tip makes no sense. I am a Madridista and I want them to win.It would be huge for Real’s season. Especially for the Champions League, a win away from home against such a rival would be a big boost. That is the only title they can win this year, and I think they can do it. They can live up to their expectations against Barcelona and that would be very good for Zidane’s career as a coach.”
The post Former Real Madrid defender: “The expectations on Zidane are huge!” appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM.