Real Madrid star Isco has hailed the return of Zinedine Zidane as manager and says it will be “fantastic for everyone” in the squad to play under the Frenchman again.
Zidane led Real Madrid to three straight Champions League titles, an unprecedented achievement, after taking over in January 2016, as well as the La Liga title in the 2016/17 season.
However, after he left the club last summer, Madrid’s fortunes have suffered, as Julen Lopetegui was sacked after a poor start to the season and former player Santiago Solari – a Madrid team-mate of Zidane’s – unable to right the ship after his fellow Spaniard’s departure.
A horrendous week in which Madrid lost 3-0 to great rivals Barcelona to get knocked out of the Copa del Rey, then 1-0 to the same opponents in the league to leave them 12 points behind leaders Barca in the table, and then 4-1 to Ajax to crash out of the Champions League – all three defeats coming at home – saw Solari’s position become untenable. And Zidane has been parachuted in to help restore Los Blancos to former glory.
Playmaker Isco, who had become a peripheral figure under Solari as the Argentine rarely picked him in his first-choice XI and at times left him out of the matchday squad altogether, says Zidane’s return is good news for the club.
“We all know him,” Isco said at an adidas event. “As a player he was amazing, as a coach he has won everything.
“It is fantastic for everyone to have him back at Real Madrid. And all the credit for him being back now, when time is tough.
“He loves Real Madrid and hopefully he will lead us again to victory.”