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Barcelona boss Luis Enrique says he has nothing but respect for new Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

The Frenchman was installed as the new Los Blancos boss on Monday following the sacking of Rafa Benitez. He will be the third Real boss Enrique will face within two years after Carlo Ancelotti also left the club in the summer.

Since news of Zidane’s appointment emerged, archive footage has been dug up showing Enrique and Zidane having a fracas in a Clasico match in 2003. The Barcelona boss is seen grabbing the 1998 World Cup winner around the throat, while Zidane is holding Enrique by the face.

Speaking to the media about the incident and whether it means fans could not expect fireworks on the touchlines when the two giants meet on April 3 in the league, Enrique said he couldn’t recall the incident and has a huge amount of respect for Zidane.

“I don’t have an opinion about him as a coach. I haven’t had the time to go over it. We don’t really know each other. I don’t really have a bad memory of anyone I’ve played against.  Everyone defends their own team and I don’t have a good or bad memory of anything,” he said.

And he added: “I haven’t seen the images and I don’t remember any exchange with Zidane, but for sure we were defending our teams. I respect him as a colleague.”

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Roberto Carlos says new Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane will improve Real Madrid and can relate to the squad full of global superstars.

The 1998 World Cup winner took over the reigns on Monday following the sacking of Rafa Benitez who last just seven months in the job at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Zindane, who had been coaching the Real Madrid Castilla team, had long been touted as a future first team boss at the 10-time Champions League winners. He was part of the coaching set up under Carlo Ancelotti when the club won the Copa del Rey and Champions League in 2014.

As a player, Zidane was one of the greatest to have played the game. He won the World Cup and European Championship with France. With Real, he lifted the Champions League and La Liga among a host of other trophies.

Speaking to Radio Marca, former left back Roberto Carlos said the club has the right man at the helm.

“Finally, Florentino with his intelligence has brought in Zidane. He is a modern manager. He thinks like the players,” he commented.

And he continued: “The players did not understand Benitez. With Zidane, I am certain Madrid will play better. It’s the best decision from Florentino Perez. Zidane is not a coach, but he is a teacher.”

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Former Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez has issued a statement in which he says it was an honour to have managed Los Blancos.

The 55-year-old was fired on Monday evening after just seven months in charge – a disappointing outcome for someone who grew up in the youth teams and was a coach in his early days at Real Madrid Castilla.

Real had been poor in big games this season – especially the hammering by Barcelona at home in November. There were also reports of fallings out with senior players while fans were not happy with the style of play overall.

Since his sacking, Zinedine Zidane has been installed as the new coach of the first team on a two and a half year contract.

In a statement issued by Benitez, the former Liverpool, Inter Milan and Napoli boss said it was an honour to manage his boyhood club.

“I would like to use this article to say goodbye to everyone at every level of the club. I want everyone at the club from the board of directors, executives, workers and all of the fans to know it has been an honour and privilege to be in charge at this club where I grew up as a person, player and coach,” he stated.

And he added: “As a ‘madridista’, steeped in the traditions and values of this institution, which I learned in the old sports city of Castellana, it has been an honour to work for these colours. I would especially like to thank everyone at the new sports city and the Santiago Bernabeu who since my first steps through the door have supported me and made my work easier. Thanks to all for helping.”

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Real Madrid blog

Florentino Perez has taken the tough decision of dismissing Rafa Benitez and signing Zinedine Zidane as the new Real Madrid manager. This measure has been celebrated by a big section of the fans. Yet, others believe that firing the coach is not the solution to Los Blancos problems.

It is certainly unfair to blame Benitez for everything that is happening at the club. Perhaps he could have chosen a more attacking style of play or chosen different players for the starting line-up. But he is not to responsible for the poor planning of the squad, or for the club not knowing that Denis Cheryshev was not allowed to play in the Copa del Rey.

With Real Madrid sitting third in the league and eliminated from the cup, firing the manager seems like the easiest solution, but perhaps this decision is going to cause more harm than benefit the club. Here are a few reasons why Real Madrid shouldn’t have sacked Benitez:

  1. The situation is not disastrous. Los Blancos have only lost three matches in all competitions in the first half of the season. At this point last year, Barcelona had lost four, and they ended up conquering all titles but the Spanish Supercup. Real have been almost perfect in the Champions League, earning five wins and one draw. Yes, they were humiliated by Barca in El Clasico, but when dismissing a manager you have to look at the whole picture.

  2. Benitez is not to blame for the players attitude. It wasn’t Benitez’s fault that Kovacic childishly got himself sent off against Valencia, and it wasn’t his fault that Valencia equalized 30 seconds after Gareth Bale had scored what had seemed like the winning goal. Players have consistently shown that they lose concentration when they believe the victory is near, or when they face a rival that they see as easy to beat. Most of them lack hunger and spirit of sacrifice. Only the youngsters seem to do their utmost in every game.

  3. Adapting to a new manager will not be easy. It takes a period of adaptation to learn the methods and ideas of a new coach. When these things happen in the summer, at least the players have a few weeks of pre-season to get used to it. Zidane will have to improvise, and that is pretty dangerous. Luckily for him, Real’s next five rivals are some of the easiest he could have got, which gives him one presumably quiet month before facing tougher teams.

  4. Being patient usually pays back. Barcelona chose not to dismiss Luis Enrique last year when they lost against Real Sociedad, and the reward they got was exceptional. The same happened in Frank Rijkaard’s first year, when he had an awful first half of the season. The team’s improvement in the second half was not enough to conquer any titles, but they started a winning era that has lasted until today. Real Madrid have never been patient. In the last two years and a half, the team has had four different managers, certainly some of the best in the world, but none of them seem to have pleased Florentino Perez.

  5. The problem is not the manager. Perez is constantly claiming Real Madrid are always seeking excellence, but he is wrong in the way he is seeking it. Spending hundreds of millions in signing world-class stars without a clear criteria is not the best strategy. Los Blancos need to have a solid project, led by a sports director with a broad experience in football, and not by the owner of a construction company.

Having said all this, the decision is taken and Zidane is now our manager. We need to support him the way we all should have supported Benitez, because that is the best for the club. We need to have patience and let him do his job, so do not crucify him if he loses next weekend against Deportivo.

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Zinedine Zidane says he will bring back an exciting style of play to Real Madrid after being appointed as first team manager.

The Frenchman was unveiled as the new boss at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon after the sacking on Rafa Benitez.

Benitez lasted only seven months in the job and throughout that time there were plenty of issues working against him, and in particular the fact that many people thought his tactics were too defensive for a club like Real Madrid.

Speaking to reporters, Zidane said he was excited about his new challenge and would be doing all he can to lead the club to success.

“I want to bring the exciting game that this club has always had. The important thing is to play football and my job will be based on playing from the back, progressing in to the opposition half quickly and having possession of the ball. I would be happy to win everything. Our objective is to win, we’ve got two trophies that we can win and we’re going to try until the end of the year,” he stated.

Asked if he had a message for the fans, he added: “We’re going to try to excite the fans like always. The fans here know their football and we’re going to try to do everything to make them happy and proud of us.”

With the club so closely associated with success in Europe, Zidane was also quizzed on this season’s Champions League and whether he thought Los Blancos could go all the way.

“Winning it is fundamental for this club. We’re in the round of 16 and it’s always been the objective to win the Champions League, and it always will be. When you put this shirt on everything is possible, any objective can be real,” he commented.

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Former Inter Milan and Italy defender Marco Materazzi says Rafa Benitez never learns from his mistakes and he was not surprised by news of his sacking.

Benitez was replaced by Zinedine Zidane on Monday bringing an end to his brief seven month spell at the club.

During his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, there were plenty of reports of fallings out with senior players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and James Rodriguez. And Materazzi believes it is a similar story to one Benitez experienced at Inter Milan.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Materazzi said: “I had already predicted Benitez’s exit. I was only wrong by a few days. You can be the best in the world, but you don’t go far if you don’t have a connection with the players. You cannot succeed if you cannot bond with those who have stronger personalities. They are the ones who have to help you out on the pitch. Madrid are a difficult club and it is not enough to have the president’s backing.”

And he added: “Benitez will never change. He always encounters the same problems. Instead of creating a good relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, he tried to become close with Gareth Bale. It’s the same story all over again. On his first day at Inter, he talked to Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso and Ivan Cordoba, but completely ignored Cristian Chivu.”

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Ex-Real Madrid star Kaka says Barcelona’s Neymar will win the Ballon d’Or in the near future although that may not be this year.

The 23-year-old is on the shortlist for the award this month along with Cristiano Ronaldo and team mate Leo Messi. It is the first time a Brazilian is in the final three since 2007 – the year former Los Blancos player Kaka was named as the best player in the world while still playing with AC Milan.

The trophy has been split between Ronaldo and Messi for the past seven years with the Argentinean winning it one more time than his Portuguese counterpart.

And speaking to FIFA.com, Kaka said Neymar will be the man to one year take over the mantle as the number one.

“It had always been a rotation: Ronaldo and Zidane won it three times, but there was always some other player – names like Figo, Ronaldinho, myself, Rivaldo, Cannavaro,” he said.
“Then comes this succession of Cristiano and Messi, only the two of them – and it is fair, for what they have been doing year after year.

“It’s difficult to point out a single reason (for the lack of Brazilians in the final three in recent years), but it must serve to alert Brazilian football. And, truth be told, it’s no easy task to forge a Ballon d’Or winner. Thankfully, Neymar has improved a lot since he’s gone to play in Europe – his game is a lot more mature. Now it’s a matter of time until he reaches first place.”

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The Collins Column

Rafa Benitez was sacked from his role as Real Madrid boss on Monday evening just seven months after joining the Santiago Bernabeu side.

The odds were stacked against him from day one when his appointment was met with scepticism by many despite having won the Champions League, UEFA Cup, and World Cup Cup among many others.

So where did it go wrong for Rafa? Let’s have a look.

1 – Unpopular appointment
As mentioned, eyebrows were raised when Benitez was appointed in July. Benitez was up against it when replacing Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian was a hugely popular figure in the dressing room and had lead the club to the 10th Champions League crown just 12 months before he was booted out.

The fans liked Ancelotti because he unified the club after the tumultuous day of Jose Mourinho and they felt that despite not winning the major honours last season there was plenty to build on.

As for the players, compare the reaction to when Ancelotti was fired to yesterday’s news about Benitez. Plenty of players took to social media to wish Ancelotti well. Benitez was met with silence.

2 – Tactics
The 55-year-old is known for employing defensive tactics, something that goes against the style of play that Madridistas are used to watching on a regular basis. Supporters booed during a pre-season friendly against Galatasaray and the goalless draw early on with Sporting Gijon raised concerns among fans.

Real never really hit the heights all season. It seems ridiculous to write that considering they hit 10 against Rayo and 8 against Malmo. But more often than not, they looked laboured and lethargic. In the big games, they looked lost. In the seven games against their notable big opponents this season (Barcelona, Atletico de Madrid, Sevilla, Villarreal, PSG and Valencia), Real picked up just one win with three draws and three losses. That sort of form only ends up with one thing – the P45.

3 – Relationship with players
Key to success as Real Madrid manager is having the senior players onside. And Benitez failed in that regard. Cristiano Ronaldo was frosty towards him from the start and his record of 8 blanks in the opening 11 games suggested he wasn’t hitting his best form under the Spaniard. Stories of a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu appeared more frequently in the press with PSG, Manchester United and the MLS all apparent destinations.

It wasn’t just Ronaldo though. James Rodriguez and Isco are believed to have had training ground rows with Benitez and it is unsurprising both had been strongly linked with an exit prior to Benitez’s departure.

Benitez wasn’t the first and won’t be the last to fall foul of the political games that go on at the club. But it contributed to his downfall certainly.

4 – The Clasico
Madrid fans were angered in November when they were beaten away at Sevilla. But there was worse to come. The 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu was probably the biggest factor in Benitez’ sacked. So devastating was the loss that he never really won the players or fans round again.

The line up was too attacking, perhaps suggesting that it wasn’t Benitez who picked the team. Or if he did, he was under immense pressure.

And the performance itself was shambolic as the visitors, inspired by a virtuoso display from Andres Iniesta, ripped their opponents to shreds. The standing ovation afforded to the World Cup winning midfielder was reminiscent of the one given to Ronaldinho  a decade ago.

The Bernabeu greeted their own team with jeers and boos. Despite winning five games in a row after that, the Clasico never really left anyone’s minds though and Benitez would be the fall guy.

5 – Copa mess
Someone has to take the fall for the Copa del Rey shenanigans right? Real beat Cadiz 3-1 on a warm autumn evening in the south of Spain only for it to emerge that the first goalscorer, Denis Cheryshev, was in fact meant to be sitting out a one-match ban for picking up three yellow cards in the competition last season.

Madrid protested and protested until it became embarrassing, but the president and his men wouldn’t admit to any wrong doing. Once that is clear, someone needs to take the fall for such a mistake. Although not directly Benitez’ fault, he picked the team that night, so is an easy enough man to scapegoat.

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Former Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham says Zinedine Zidane is the best man for the job as manager of the club.

The Frenchman was promoted to first team manager from Real Madrid Castilla in the wake of Rafa Benitez’ sacking on Monday evening.

Benitez lasted just seven months in the job at the Santiago Bernabeu, with his final game in charge being the 2-2 draw with Valencia on Sunday. In his 25 games as boss overall, Benitez guided the team to 17 victories in all competitions and just three defeats. But it was the manner of the performances in the big games along with reports of fallings out with senior players proving to be the downfall of the Madrid-born manager.

Shortly after it was confirmed Zidane would be taking over as boss, Beckham took to social media to give his thoughts on the man he played alongside for three years.

He wrote on Instagram: “Does it get any better than this? A man that has been the best at a game we all love, taking over of a club that myself and many more people love. Someone with drive, passion and also doesn’t accept failure on any level. Taking over from a manager that has huge experience and respect in the game, but taking on a position he will relish. The best person for the job.”

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Real Madrid left back Marcelo says the players need to keep working hard and improve if they want to be successful at the end of the season.

Los Blancos twice led against Valencia on Sunday evening but squandered the opportunity to close the gap on Barcelona when they conceded a 83rd minute. Real had to play much of the second half with 10 men after Mateo Kovacic was sent off for a late challenge.

In quotes published on the official website, Brazilian left back Marcelo said the players were pleased with how they had performed by need to make the most of their opportunities in future games.

He stated: “We’ve come away from the game with positives and we’re going to keep on standing up to be counted. We finished the game in the Valencia area and we’re going to keep on fighting to make the most of our opportunities. We didn’t sit back at 0-1. The way our opponents play also has an influence; we’re not out there on our own. This league is the best in the world and the games are tough.”

And he added: “In general the team have to keep on improving and that means winning games. We go into every game champing at the bit, well aware that we have to make the most of our opportunities. I don’t want to give any excuses.”

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