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Zidane’s legacy in the balance as Real Madrid face PSG

By Graham Ruthven

MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 10: Head coach Zinedine Zidane of Real Madrid CF reacts from the bench prior to start the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on February 10, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 10: Head coach Zinedine Zidane of Real Madrid CF reacts from the bench prior to start the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on February 10, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images) /
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Real Madrid face PSG in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday, the first leg of a tie that may define Zinedine Zidane’s legacy as a manager.

Zinedine Zidane isn’t a Parisian, but the city is intertwined with the legend of the man affectionately known as “Zizou.” It’s where he lifted the World Cup in 1998, but more significantly where he confirmed his status as a national symbol. Twenty years ago, Zidane’s face was projected onto the Arc de Triomphe — a new icon of French triumphalism on an old icon of French triumphalism — as over a million fans crowded the Champs-Élysées. “Zizou for president,” read the accompanying slogan.

Now, Paris will mark another landmark moment in Zidane’s career, albeit for different reasons. At Real Madrid, he’s similarly an icon, not just defining an era for the Spanish club as a player, but leading Los Meringues to back-to-back Champions League titles over the past two years as a manager. Had there been a “Zizou for president” campaign last year, the Spanish might well have voted for him, just as the French might have too.

A lot has changed over the course of the 2017-18 season, though. Real have put up a limp defense of their Liga crown, currently trailing rivals and table-toppers Barcelona by 19 points. They’ve been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by minnows Leganes and with a number of key players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Isco, all scrambling for form, there’s a fear that a similar fate might await Real in the last 16 of the Champions League, where they’ll come up against Paris Saint-Germain.

It’s difficult to understate the buildup this game has been given by the notoriously intense Madrid press. From the moment the draw was made, it was said this match could make or break Zidane’s future as Real boss. With the first leg on Wednesday, the pressure is as intense as it has ever been for the former midfielder.

For a number of reasons, this will be a litmus test for Zidane. Despite winning back-to-back Champions League titles, some have always claimed the Frenchman is lacking as a tactician and a coach. They say only through the sheer quality of his squad, and his aura as a club legend, has he succeeded at Real Madrid. What happens over two legs against PSG, arguably the best side in Europe right now, will go a long way to either confirming or dispelling that theory.

This is a matchup that comes with great potential for symbolism. Real stand as the most decorated club in Europe, the established elite, whereas PSG are looking to make their mark at the top by winning their first Champions League. It’s possible this game could mark the passing of two contrasting trajectories — one upward, one downward.

From a tactical standpoint, PSG are one of the worst teams Real could have paired with at this stage of the competition. Zidane has had trouble organizing his defense this season, with their vulnerabilities exposed on a near-weekly basis, so PSG’s front three of Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar will almost certainly make an impression over the two legs.

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If Real are to make the quarterfinals, they must rely on their midfield unit of Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to control the test. Gareth Bale is another who could be a difference-maker, with Zidane careful not to over-use the Welsh winger in recent weeks. Indeed, Bale’s return to full fitness has been tailored for weeks with this specific game in mind.

Many believe Zidane is already doomed as Real manager, that it doesn’t really matter whether he can guide his side past PSG and into the Champions League quarterfinals. Recent reports from Spain claim club president Florentino Perez has already sounded out Antonio Conte and Mauricio Pochettino as he prepares to make a change this summer.

Whether that’s the case or not, Zidane’s reputation is on the line in this tie. He and his Real Madrid team have a lot of detractors to prove wrong. They must show that reports of their death have been greatly exaggerated. Not for the first time, Paris will play a major part in deciding the Frenchman’s legacy.

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