Kiev was the beginning of the end of the second stage of Zidane

Almost a year later, Real Madrid returns to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, where the Whites once again made history in the top European competition. At the Ukrainian Olympic, where he will play again on Tuesday, touched the sky in 2018 by defeating Liverpool (3-1) in what would be their third consecutive continental title, something that no one had achieved until then. We would have to go back to the 70s when Ajax, first, and Bayern, later, did it. It was the perfect culmination for a generation of players that dominated the continent with triumphs in France (against PSG), Italy (defeated Rome, Naples and Juventus), Germany (Bayern) …

But Kiev is also synonymous with bitterness. That same 2018, and moments after the final ended, Cristiano announced his desire to leave the white club, something that would consummate a couple of months later, after the World Cup in Russia. Gareth Bale also showed his discontent towards Zidan in the Ukrainian capitale, and he signaled his possible departure if the French continued at the front … But everything changed five days later, with the passing by Zizou’s side. Madrid was beginning to crack … Two technicians (Lopetegui and Solari) passed by until Zidane himself returned.

But In December 2020 something similar happened again: it was the beginning of the end of Zidane’s second stage at the head of the Madrid bench. Then, December 1, 2020, the whites had to win to continue alive in their fight to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League: they had lost the first match against the Ukrainians (2-3 in Valdebebas), tied in Mönchengladbach in a match agonizing, and surpassed Inter in the double confrontation. The fifth match would be played in Kiev, against Shakhtar. A win qualified him directly for the next phase …

Madrid succumbed to the Donetsk team (2-0), who had received ten goals in their double confrontation with Gladbach. Two cons, similar to those that were executed in Valdebebas, liquidated those of Zidane, who began to be questioned about this defeat: “I am not going to resign. We are always going to have delicate moments. It is a bad streak in terms of results (only one victory in the previous four games) “, explained the coach. And in a way, he was right: the whites shot nine times over goalkeeper Trubin (19 years old), plus another shot that hit the post.

That week was dead calm in the white directivea: despite a state of calm and serenity seeping in, they blamed the injuries for the poor results achieved and showed full confidence in Zidane, rumors of a possible dismissal and his replacement by technicians such as Pochettino and Raúl were in circulation. A bad result against Sevilla, four days later, would invite the dismissal of the French. But in Seville Modric and Viniciu emergedyes, heads and tails for Zidane: the Brazilian, whom he did not trust, scored the only goal of the match. The Croatian completed an extraordinary performance alongside Kroos. On these pillars he cemented a start of a retaining wall that would be stopped again at the beginning of 2021 after falling in the Cup. But that defeat in Kiev was the beginning of the end of Zidane’s second stage at Madrid: “I feel strong, but I know where I am …”. Between the lines, the coach began to model his second exit from the club, something that would happen months later …