Zidane passes biggest test yet as Ronaldo stars
Print Edition
ZINEDINE Zidane overcame the biggest challenge of his fledgling coaching career as Real Madrid brushed aside VfL Wolfsburg to overturn a first-leg deficit and reach the UEFA Champions League semifinals.
Last week’s surprise 0-2 defeat at Wolfsburg left the Frenchman facing the prospect of becoming the first Real coach since Manuel Pellegrini in 2010 to fail to reach the last four of the competition.
Tuesday’s hat-trick from a resurgent Cristiano Ronaldo at the Bernabeu saved him from that fate.
“I’ve lived football as a player, I know what it is like. I am now living it as a coach, which is much more difficult,” admitted Zidane after the 3-2 aggregate win.
“I can’t worry about what might happen. We have to be calm when this (losing a first leg) happens; you can’t go mad because all sorts of things happen in football.”
Zidane attracted criticism for starting Danilo rather than Dani Carvajal in the first leg in Germany and for his decision to take off Luka Modric, saying: “I had to do something”.
In the second leg, Zidane reinstated the Spaniard at right back and the decision had an instant impact, with Carvajal showing desire to beat Julian Draxler to the ball in midfield and then setting up Ronaldo’s opener.
“We are a team and I always have to make decisions, we all win together but it’s true that Carvajal was enormous today,” said Zidane.
The Frenchman vowed not to get ahead of himself after the win, which was the first time Real had overturned a first-leg deficit in the Champions League since 2002 when a team containing Zidane saw off Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals on its way to lifting the trophy.
“I never got a big head as a player and it won’t happen as a coach either after a night like this, I know how difficult this job is,” said Zidane, who has repeatedly talked about the expectations on a Real manager since succeeding Rafael Benitez in January.
The coach did not shy away from suggestions that Ronaldo had saved his reputation, and possibly his job. “He is the best player in the world and nights like tonight make him a special player,” said Zidane. “He makes the difference.”
Ronaldo struck twice in just over 60 seconds early on before sealing the comeback with a trademark free-kick 13 minutes from time.
It was the Portuguese star’s 40th hat trick for club and country, and the sixth this season.
“It had to be a magic night and it was. It was the perfect game in the end,” said Ronaldo.
“We had to be patient for an hour but it was the perfect night in the end.”
Ronaldo took his tournament tally to 16 goals from 10 games this season, one shy of the Champions League record he set in the 2013-14 season. He remains the all-time leading scorer in the Champions League, now with 93 goals.
Ronaldo has also struck 46 goals in all competitions this season, meaning he has 45 or more in each of his last six seasons for Real.
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