Zinedine Zidane is a proven Champions League winner, and his ability to triumph on the big stage is exactly what Manchester United need.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had little success in Europe’s premier competition, although he did reach the final of the Europa League last season. Villarreal defeated his side on penalties.
However, in the Champions League this term, the Red Devils have struggled in a relatively mediocre group; if it were not for some moments of magic from Cristiano Ronaldo, United would’ve likely been heading back to the Europa League. They still might.
The Norwegian was sacked from his managerial position at the club on Sunday morning. United are now looking for a replacement.
Ralf Rangnick, Erik ten Hag and Brendan Rodgers have all been linked with the role, but the Zinedine Zidane rumours are rapidly gaining fire. Let’s take a look at what the Frenchman has achieved at the highest level of European football:
Zidane’s Champions League record
During his first spell as manager of the club, Zidane guided Real Madrid to the highest peaks in Europe on three separate occasions. The Frenchman began this success in the 2015-16 season. His side emerged victorious against Atletico Madrid in a tense penalty shootout to become Kings of Europe.
Zizou made a big statement the following year by repeating the heights of his previous campaign. Under his tutelage, Real dismantled a Juventus side featuring Paul Pogba by a 4-1 scoreline in a one-sided final.
Zidane further cemented his place as an elite manager in Real history by winning his third consecutive title in this competition. Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema shared the spoils of three goals between them, as the Spanish giants brushed Liverpool aside in a 3-1 victory.
Overall, as per Transfermarkt, Zidane took charge of 53 Champions League matches as Real Madrid boss across five seasons. He won 32 of them, drawing 11 and losing 10.
Ole out, Zidane in at United?
Solskjaer is undoubtedly a legend at the Theatre of Dreams. However, after a chain of bad results, the club had no choice but to relieve him of his duties.
The Red Devils are now looking for the next man to take over at Old Trafford and hopefully guide the struggling team back to their former glory days. But is there a chance that one of the most notable figures in the sport could take on the mantel of Manchester United boss?
Initially it seemed that Zidane would only be interested in the role if United were to offer it to him at the end of the season. However, according to the Daily Mirror, his close relationship with Ronaldo could be enough to get him to consider the job now.
Read: Is Zidane coming to United?
There may be one major roadblock that the Salford based club would have to clear if they were interested in Zidane. The Daily Record claim that the Frenchman’s wife is not keen on living in Manchester. This may be an easy fix for the Red Devils. However, it could be a crushing blow to their hopes of securing one of the world’s finest managers.
Manchester United are in desperate need of a statement. After a challenging end to Solskjaer’s tenure, they need to hire a proven winner. Some fans of the club are hoping it will be Zidane. However, there’s a long way to go before they secure his signature.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
