The French coach took over from Rafa Benitez this
week and will oversee his first game at the helm of
his star-studded squad on Saturday
All eyes will be on Zinedine Zidane when Real Madrid
face Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga on Saturday for
the new head coach's first game in charge.
Rafael Benitez was sacked by president Florentino
Perez after only 18 league matches at the helm and
replaced by the World Cup-winning club legend.
Zidane has made it clear that as well as entertaining
the Santiago Bernabeu supporters, his priority is
winning the two trophies that are still available to
Madrid after their expulsion from the Copa del Rey.
Madrid will meet Roma in the Champions League last
16 next month, but before then the 43-year-old has six
league games to make up ground on their title rivals,
starting with the match against Deportivo.
Los Blancos are four points behind leaders Atletico
Madrid and two behind Barcelona, who still have a
game in hand over the capital clubs.
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"I am motivated and excited," Zidane said of his new
role. "I am looking forward to taking this opportunity
with the best team in the world.
"I only want to win trophies with this team. Our
objective is to win, we have got two trophies that we
can win and we are going to try until the end of the
year
“My first words have been important for all the
players because we have trained in front of the fans.
"I said to them that I am very happy to be beside
them, that a new adventure is starting and that we
are going to try to do everything possible to complete
the objectives
"You have to be close to the players and have a good
relationship with all of them. I am responsible for the
team and I want everything to go well.
"I am going to try to add a personal touch and an
attacking touch. I will try to maintain my managerial
playing style and I want to get the players to have a
good time out on the pitch."
Deportivo sit seventh in the table, 10 points adrift of
Madrid. They have only lost one of their nine league
away games this season, although they have been
beaten in all of their last four meetings against
Zidane's new side, conceding 17 goals in the process.
On the injury front for the hosts, Dani Carvajal
(hamstring) has not played since November, but
Sergio Ramos returned to play in the 2-2 draw with
Valencia, which turned out to be Benitez's final match
in charge.
Key Opta stats:
- Real Madrid have gone nine league games in a row
without a defeat against Deportivo (W8 D1).
- Deportivo have won just once in their last 30 games
at the Bernabeu in La Liga (D4 L25), 0-1 in October
2004.
- Madrid have lost just one of their last 26 league
games at the Santiago Bernabeu (W22 D3), which
came against Barcelona.
- Madrid have gone five home games without a clean
sheet, their worst such run with a single manager
since the end of Jose Mourinho’s time in charge (7).
- Deportivo have faced the joint-fewest shots in La
Liga this season (175), level with Barcelona.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in four of his last
seven La Liga games against Deportivo (nine goals,
including three hat-tricks).
- Zinedine Zidane is the first French manager in Real
Madrid history.
Source:goal.com
