MADRID (REUTERS) - Real Madrid favourite Zinedine Zidane returned for a second spell as coach on Monday (March 11) with plans to rebuild the Spanish football giants, who have fallen into crisis since he left in May after winning an unprecedented third straight Champions League title.
Zidane also won a Liga title in 2017 among nine trophies before standing down, having taken the club to the European summit, but they have endured a miserable season in his absence, first sacking Julen Lopetegui and then Santiago Solari.
Real president Florentino Perez has turned again to Zidane, who stepped in for Rafael Benitez in 2016 and quickly guided the team to Champions League glory, but this time he will be without the club's all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portugal forward's departure in July to Juventus has had a big impact on Real this season while their other key players, like Marcelo, Isco and Gareth Bale, have struggled and Zidane has a big job on his hands as he prepares to shake things up.
"Things will change, in every way. We have to change things for the years to come," he told a news conference on Monday at the Bernabeu. "Now the important thing is that I am back, and there is time to talk and see what needs to be done."
Perez explained that Zidane's return was to help restore the club's pride after a painful year.
"This season, we have not got the results we wanted and our responsibility is to put into action the reaction the team needs," he said at Zidane's presentation.
Â
The Frenchman must oversee a regeneration by using the young players Solari brought through, including 18-year-old forward Vinicius Junior, left-back Sergio Reguilon and midfielder Marcos Llorente, as well as welcoming major new signings.
Chelsea's Eden Hazard is likely to be a prime target, with the Belgium forward having previously spoken of his admiration for Zidane, who won the World Cup as a player with France.
"Everyone knows the respect I have for Zidane as a player but also as a manager, he was my idol," Hazard once told Belgian TV. "To play under Zidane would be a dream."
Spanish newspaper Marca ran a poll on Monday with 56 per cent of over 128,000 respondents saying Hazard should be Real's main transfer target, with Tottenham Hotspur's England striker Harry Kane in second place on 10 per cent and Neymar third with nine.
Diario Sport reported that Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar, once of Barcelona, is Madrid's big transfer target as they bid to fill the hole left by Ronaldo and are willing to spend up to €350 million (S$534.15 million) on the Brazil forward.
Speaking to reporters after Zidane's presentation, Perez also joked about Neymar's PSG strike partner Kylian Mbappe.
"Zidane's French, so maybe he can do something about (signing) Mbappe," said the Real Madrid chief.
In Marca's poll, 74 per cent of fans voting said the attack was the area of the team in most need of reinforcement.
But Madrid have also struggled in midfield this season, with German international Toni Kroos and Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric, a World Cup runner-up with Croatia, not at their best.
Zidane must now evaluate his squad before deciding if Madrid need to reinforce the midfield as well as which of the players frozen out by Solari can be brought back into the fold.
Spanish international midfielder Isco was a key player for Zidane, especially in 2017 playing in the hole behind Ronaldo and Karim Benzema as Madrid charged to a La Liga and Champions League double, but fell out of favour the next season.
Manchester United have sacked Jose Mourinho after Sunday's defeat at Liverpool left the club 11 points adrift of the Premier League top four. A caretaker manager will be appointed until the
Kolasinac delighted by 'big win' but urges focus. By. Andrew Allen - April 12, 2019. 17. We need cool, confident (but not over-confident) heads at the SPS and
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on March 17, 2019, with the headline 'Europa League hat-trick hero Giroud hoping for EPL chance'.
Europa League hat-trick hero Giroud hoping for EPL chance
Mourinho humiliated by fall at Russian hockey league face-off
Football: Chelsea move into third spot above Tottenham after
Apr 06, 2019 · Teenage sensation Moise Kean scored the winner to put Juventus one step away from an eighth consecutive Serie A title on Saturday as a 2-1 comeback win over AC Milan pushed the champions 21 points
Kean winner puts Juventus on brink of Serie A title
Rodgers closing in on EPL return with Leicester LONDON • Brendan Rodgers will soon make his return to managing in the Premier League, as Celtic "very reluctantly" granted him permission to talk to Leicester City.
Rodgers on brink of return to Premier League with Leicester
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/02/26/rodgers-on-brink-of-return-to-premier-league-with-leicester/
Rodgers on brink of return to Premier League with Leicester AFP February 26, 2019 AFP 1 Comment London (AFP) - Brendan Rodgers took a signficant step closer to a return to managing in the Premier League as Celtic "very reluctantly" granted him permission to talk to Leicester City.
Ex- Liverpool boss Rogers in sensational EPL return with
What Man United's draw with Huddersfield means for Arsenal, Chelsea & Tottenham in top-four race. How the battle for the top four looks after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United drew with bottom side Huddersfield Town
Man Utd miss out on top four after draw at Huddersfield
Gareth Bale is still "100 per cent" committed to Real Madrid despite speculation over his future, the Wales star's agent insisted on Monday. Former Tottenham winger Bale has been linked with a
Bale is 100 per cent committed to Real Madrid, says Welshman
Tottenham may have to play the rest of 2018-19 without Harry Kane, who hurt his ankle against Manchester City. Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino fears Harry Kane could miss the rest of the season
Harry Kane could miss rest of season with ankle injury
Neymar heads to Aspetar for medical assessment 2.6.0.0 Paris Saint-Germain F.C and Brazilian football player Neymar Jr has arrived at Aspetar, the orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital in Qatar, to undertake a complete assessment after six weeks into an injury sustained to his foot.
Neymar heads to Qatar for medical assessment - France - RFI
en.rfi.fr/wire/20190307-neymar-heads-qatar-medical-assessment
Neymar heads to Qatar for medical assessment. Neymar will travel to Qatar to undergo a "complete assessment" six weeks into his recovery from a fractured right foot, the club said on Thursday
Neymar heads to Qatar for medical assessment - france24.com
Football: Real Madrid end awful campaign with 12th league
Hello and welcome to my AXE Media TV review.. Is AXE Media TV a scam? This is one of the questions that we are going to look into and share my thoughts. We are also going to discover information about the company and who owns it, the products or services they offer and the compensation plan and how you get paid.
Barcelona News: Club President confirms Valverde stay
VALENCIA (REUTERS) - Valencia eased into the Europa League semi-finals for the first time in five years with a comfortable 2-0 win at home to fellow Spaniards Villarreal in heavy rain on Thursday
Valencia stroll into last four with 2-0 Villarreal win
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen