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Zinedine Zidane's Half-Time Team Talk During Champions League Final vs Juventus Is A Brilliant Watch

Zinedine Zidane's Half-Time Team Talk During Champions League Final vs Juventus Is A Brilliant Watch

"That second half was one of the greatest footballing performances I've ever seen..."

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Most of us will never know what it's like to be involved in a Champions League final. Zinedine Zidane, on the other hand, has been involved in one of football's biggest occasions more than most.

Having won the prestigious prize as a player back in 2002, the former Real Madrid midfielder became the first manager to win it back-to-back in only his second year of management.

Zidane enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in his first spell in the Los Blancos hot seat. In fact, at the end of the 2016/17 season, his side produced an emphatic second-half performance to beat Juventus 4-1 in the UCL final.

Zidane makes winning these things look easy. Image: PA Images.
Zidane makes winning these things look easy. Image: PA Images.

However, after 45 minutes things, were a lot closer than that he had planned. Following a Mario Mandžukić wondergoal that cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener in the 20th minute, things look poised going into the second period.

So what exactly did Zizou tell his players in the break to inspire them to their 12th Champions League title?

The club released the footage from inside the dressing room at half-time and four years later, the clip has once again gone viral.

"Just two things, It's a final," a calm Zidane can be heard telling his players. "We know that it is a difficult game for them too.

"The most important thing for us is to be more aggressive in defence. I don't mean aggressive so that you get booked. You just need to make sure you're there, everyone needs to be a bit tighter and more aggressive.

"We all need to be a bit more aggressive when we don't have the ball.

"They play 4-4-2 with Alves and Mandzukic very high up the pitch. We have to force them back. Isco you need to be a bit tighter on the left when we're defending in a 4-4-2 formation and when you have the ball look for space between the lines.

"When we have the ball we must be patient. Look to move it quickly out onto the wings. Marcelo and Dani (Carvajal) need to be higher up. A little bit more.

"When we have the ball they need to be defending deep. Dani and Marcelo need to be there.

"Luka needs to push up occasionally and as for Isco, when we are switching play, we need to break through their lines.

"Cristiano to run at them, get Karim in behind or switch play. Just like what we've been practising in the week.

"We knock it about and the goal will arrive. We play out wide, through the centre on the deck and we'll score.

"We just have to get the ball out wide and play at a higher tempo. Not just through the centre, we need to move the ball from one side to the other.

"In defence, let's get stuck in a bit more, and keep working. We will suffer, it's a final. Keep calm. We will get another goal. Got it?"

Image credit: PA
Image credit: PA

The tactics discussed at half-time clearly worked a treat. Brazilian midfielder Casemiro made it 2-1 just after the hour mark and Ronaldo added his second not long after.

Marco Asensio's goal in injury time made it 4-1 as Zidane's words of encouragement rang in their ears throughout the second period.

Featured Image Credit: Real Madrid

Topics: Football, Zinedine Zidane, Juventus, Champions League, Real Madrid