Newly-appointed Zinedine Zidane upbeat on leading ‘difficult’ Real Madrid

Former Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez has thanked the club for the opportunity to ply his trade at the Santiago Bernabeu, while wishing successor Zinedine Zidane good luck.

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has told Sky Sports News HQ Jose Mourinho was contacted by the club before they made Zinedine Zidane their head coach.

The World Cup-winning former midfielder took training for the first time on Tuesday and, speaking at his first news conference, has promised to stick to Madrid’s traditional attacking brand of football. He won because he worked to be the best player in the world.

“I never compared myself to another player when I was active and I will not do that now that I am coaching”.

“Yes, I will play with the three attackers… that is the idea of course”. He has been at Bayern Munich since 2013 and is expected to take a job in the English Premier League next season.

“I was part of this club as a player. He has achieved incredible things”. “What I want to bring you will see in the coming weeks”, said Zidane.

Zidane retired from playing football in 2006 after his contract with Real Madrid expired.

“I have no opinion on Zidane as a coach”, Enrique said when asked about the photo.

The 43-year-old’s coaching experience has been limited to a season-and-a-half in charge of Madrid’s feeder team Castilla.

The team’s biggest failure this season was a stinging 4-0 home defeat by arch-rivals Barca in November although they did qualify for the Champions League last-16 as group winners.

Zidane, who played for Real for five years and famously scored a wonder goal in the Champions League final of 2002 (see below), played down suggestions that there were tensions within the squad. The Spaniard, however, expressed his disappointment over the dismissal of Benitez, saying that it would be tough for him to start with a new project. “All that will help me”.

Now comes the hope – and make no mistake his appointment is a hopeful one – that Zidane can deliver the same successful panache in the Real Madrid dugout as he once delivered on the pitch for the Spanish giants.