Zinedine Zidane returns to Real Madrid in turbulent times, with his appointment coming on the heels of the club suffering four successive defeat at home in all competition, tensions between former manager Santiago Solari and a number of player, and most of all, a dressing room bust-up between club captain, Sergio Ramos, and none other than the president, Florentino Perez, which led to talk Ramos’ time at the club may be at an end.
Deep tensions at the club resurfaced following the 4-1 Champions League humiliation handed to Real by Ajax, with an argument began between Pérez and Ramos taking place after the match. Standing to defend his team-mates and himself from charges of unprofessionalism and indulgence, Ramos squared up to the club’s supremo. Voices were raised and Pérez expressed aloud a long held desire as he threatened to kick out the captain. “Pay me, and I’ll go,” Ramos fired back.
If there needed to be a rude awakening for the toxic atmosphere at the club, that was it. murmurs had been making the rounds that Jose Mourinho – sacked at Manchester United in December – was in contention for the job. Solari did not help his case as he went after players in his final days as manager. When he was asked if the players had been worthy of the badge, he replied: “the majority of them … and those that weren’t, I’ve told them.”
Now replaced by Zidane, the club’s board are hoping the Frenchman’s arrival brings a new, serene dawn to the Santiago Bernabeu. Still, the future of Ramos was hanging in the balance and inevitably, Zidane was asked during the press conference to herald his second coming if he had spoken to the club’s captain. His answer was simple and straight to the point: “no,” Zidane said nothing more about that.
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