Real Madrid just lost for the second time this season in the Champions League to Shakhtar Donetsk. The Spanish giants drop to third in their group, behind Borussia Monchengladbach and Shakhtar, and could miss out on the knockout stages for the first time in 24 attempts. Worse, they could end up in the Europa League, the equivalent of a naughty step for a club as big as Real.
Head coach Zinedine Zidane says he’s not going to resign, but the writing is on the wall for a man I have long thought is the jammiest (bald) fraud in football – Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo did a lot of the heavy lifting for him when they won three Champions League titles in a row.
I’m sure Real’s players respect Zizou for his legacy and star quality, but that shine must be fading now. And tactically he’s suspect. I don’t know what his football philosophy is, and neither do a lot of Real fans – also, those same fans will see Reguilon and Bale loving life at Spurs, or James doing nicely at Everton, and question his tendency to play favourites with his players too.
Of course it doesn’t help that Real are still in a transitional, post-Cristiano phase – Eden Hazard has proved worthless since he signed – but if they don’t qualify for the last 16, I think Zidane is out.
Zidane is really dropping a tactical masterclass with shapes like this. 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/QbUh5EZM0A
— John Zuidema (@pressbaiting) December 1, 2020
Zinedine Zidane has lost more games than Steve Bruce this season
— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) December 1, 2020