Zidane takes command at Real helm

AFP, MADRID: Thousands of Real Madrid fans turned out to cheer Zinedine Zidane as one of the all-time great players started his first day as coach of the Spanish giants, confessing a “difficult” challenge lay ahead.
While commentators expressed doubts about the Frenchman’s experience, 5,000 fans packed the Alfredo di Stefano stadium at Real’s training ground to see Zidane take his first session with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and other superstars.
The 43-year-old Zidane got right down to work within hours of Rafael Benitez being sacked on Monday night as he takes the step up from his only previous coaching job with Castilla, the Real B team.
Real president Florentino Perez sacked Benitez after the Spaniard struggled for seven months to win over Madrid’s fans and leading players.
The club has suffered a year-long slump that has seen them burn through two Champions League-winning coaches — Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti.
They are in third place in La Liga, four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid and two points behind eternal rivals Barcelona, who have a game in hand.
Madrid were recently booted out of the Copa del Rey for fielding an ineligible player, but they are still in the Champions League, facing Roma in the last 16 next month.
And Zidane insisted Tuesday that his aim was to win a trophy. “This is a difficult but stimulating challenge, I want to take up the challenge and do my utmost to win titles,” he told reporters in a highly-mediatised press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“I’m at the best team in the world,” said the Frenchman, who played for the club between 2001 and 2006.
“Our objective is to win, we have two titles that we can win and we will try,” he added in reference to the Champions League and La Liga.
All eyes will now be on whether Zidane has the temperament and tactical ability to gel Madrid’s ‘Galacticos’ into a trophy-winning unit.
Key players such as Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez often showed their disgust when substituted by Benitez.