Hanging by a thread
Madrid, Tuesday
Real Madrid value success in the Champions League above all else, but the 13-time champions head into Wednesday’s game against Borussia Moenchengladbach with their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Should they suffer a humiliating group stage exit, ending their remarkable run as the only team to ever avoid elimination at this phase, coach Zinedine Zidane’s future will be at risk.
A win for either side in the Spanish capital will guarantee them passage through to the last 16 from Group B.
If Madrid draw and Shakhtar win or draw with Inter Milan in the other group match, the Spanish giants will be out.
Reports in the Spanish capital have linked Madrid with former Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino, currently without a club, should they part ways with Zidane, while Real Madrid Castilla coach Raul Gonzalez, a prolific striker for the club in the past, has been touted as a ‘plan B’.
“I’m not thinking about that at all, I’m only thinking about winning and finishing top of the group,” Zidane told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the speculation.
“This match is important for the team to show what it’s made of. This club, these players are all used to playing matches under pressure ... we know what we’re playing for.”
The Frenchman’s predecessor Santiago Solari was sacked after the humiliating last-16 exit against Ajax in the Champions League in 2019, paving the way for him to return just 10 months after his sudden departure.
Last season’s elimination at the same phase by Manchester City was mitigated by the team’s strong domestic performance, as they ground their way to the Spanish title, but another early failure in Europe may prove to be the final straw for trigger-happy president Florentino Perez. - AFP
