His time is running out.
He knows it.
The names of successors are blooming for a Real Madrid promised to profound changes during the offseason.
He hears it.
The titles are fleeting pleasures in a universe ruled by the dictatorship of the moment.
But the week that Real Madrid have just lived offers a little respite to Zinédine Zidane.
After Liverpool (3-1), in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the French technician was in charge during the success of the Merengue against Barça (2-1).
And Marca summed up: “If Real Madrid were planning to build statues of their legends for the new Bernabeu, the only doubt with Zidane would be the location of his two lines: the ones he deserves as a player and coach.
Zizou once again emerged triumphant from the Clasico, as he did on the first leg (1-3, October 24, 2020), and achieved what no one had done at the club since the 2007-2008 season. de Schuster, win both league games against Barcelona. ”
Zinédine Zidane, once again magnificently relaunched.
Praised ... In January, a week after the rout in the semifinals of the Spanish Supercup against the future winner Athletic Bilbao (2-1), the Merengue lost (after extra time) in the round of 16 of the Cup of the King.
Exited by a team from the Spanish 3rd division, Alcoyano (2-1).
A cup that Zidane has never won.
Neither as a player nor as a coach.
He had soberly underlined: “I don't like losing it's obvious but I can't say that this setback is the worst of my career.
It's not a shame to be eliminated like that because these are things that happen in football. ”
His future was hanging by a thread.
It was not the first time.
Beaten on December 1 in the Champions League in Kiev by Shakhtar Donetsk (2-0), Zinedine Zidane had seen his image fade and his status crack.
The game against Borussia Moenchengladbach on December 9 then turned out to be an agonizing journey of no return.
And as every time his horizon is clouded, Zinédine Zidane was able to rely on Karim Benzema who had signed a double against the German club opening the door to the knockout stages of the Champions League and extinguishing the fire.
Last December, Zinédine Zidane confided: "I take things day after day (...) I do not think that I will one day be Sir Alex Ferguson of Real Madrid, it's obvious ..." But nothing prevents him from raising all challenges.
Like those who showed up this week.
Offering him to take the best of the most famous technicians in the world of football, Jürgen Klopp and Ronald Koeman, after Diego Simeone or Antonio Conte.
Zinédine Zidane (still racing in La Liga, as in the Champions League) has, like the phoenix, the ability to be reborn.
At the heart of a thrilling and decisive spring, Zinédine Zidane is moving forward.
With the force of experience.
The humility of the competitor who knows that nothing is acquired, that happiness is fragile, that the wind turns quickly and that present can bury what has been patiently built.
On Wednesday, Zinédine Zidane and Real Madrid will play a new chopper match in Liverpool.
These matches which are the delight and the legend of a courted coach, eager for titles and emotions, who could in the short or longer term, from Juventus Turin to the France team, continue his journey to success.
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