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Zinedine Zidane's 'Genius' Half-Time Team Talk In Champions League Final Is Proof He's World Class

Zinedine Zidane's 'Genius' Half-Time Team Talk In Champions League Final Is Proof He's World Class

This is exactly why Real Madrid wanted him to take over.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Most of us will never know what it's like to be in the final of a Champions League.

Real Madrid's new manager Zinedine Zidane, on the other hand, has come across these special moments more than most.

The Champions League is supposed to be pretty difficult to win but not for this guy. Having won it as a player, the Real Madrid manager became the first manager to win it back-to-back, in only his second year of management.

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

During his two and a half year spell in the Los Blancos hot seat, Zidane made things look pretty easy. In fact, things were so easy for him at the end of the 2016/17 season that Los Blancos beat Juventus 4-1 in the UCL final.

However, after 45 minutes things were a lot closer than that he wanted.

Juve went into the half-time break at 1-1 following Mario Mandžukić's wondergoal that cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener.

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

Well the club released the footage of inside the changing room at half time and it's inspired:

The tactics discussed at half time clearly worked a treat, with Casemiro making it 2-1 just after the hour mark and Ronaldo adding 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/

So much had happened in such a short amount of time but Zidane, having won the Champions League and La Liga last season, found himself in the firing line a year later.

But now he's back at the Bernabeu with unfinished business.

He's won it as a player and a manager. Image: PA Images.
He's won it as a player and a manager. Image: PA Images.

On Monday afternoon, a statement on the official website read:

"The Board of Directors of Real Madrid, meeting today, Monday, March 11, 2019, has decided to terminate the contract that linked Santiago Solari with the club as coach of the first team and, at the same time, Real Madrid has offered to continue belonging to the club.

"Real Madrid appreciates the work done by Santiago Solari and the commitment and loyalty he has always shown to this house.

"The Board of Directors has also agreed the appointment of Zinedine Zidane as the new coach of Real Madrid with immediate incorporation for the remainder of the season and the next three, until June 30, 2022.

"The president of Real Madrid will appear today with Zinedine Zidane before the media at 8:00 pm in the press room of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium."

Do you think Zidane will get Real Madrid back to the top?

Let us know in the comments.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: SPORT, Football News, Football, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Madrid, Juventus, Champions League, Real Madrid

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

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