Real Madrid defender Pepe believes Zinedine Zidane will be a huge success at the Bernabeu, claiming he will become one of the greatest coaches in the game.
Portugual defender Pepe, who scored the opening goal in Saturday’s 7-1 thrashing of Celta Vigo after a month-long absence through injury, will keep his place in the Madrid team for the visit of Roma in the second leg of their last 16 tie.
And although the opening two months of Zidane’s reign have been eventful and far from entirely successful, Pepe believes his manager should be given plenty of time to prove himself in the dugout.
“He was a mythical player on a world level,” he said, ahead of ton-ight’s last 16 second leg. “You have to leave him to do his work, because I have no doubt that he will deliver a lot of titles and be one of the best coaches in the world.”
Although Zidane has only spent two months in charge, Pepe believes the Frenchman has already succeeded in improving the atmosphere within the team following disharmony during the reign of predecessor Rafa Benitez.
“He has brought us a lot of things, firstly teamwork,” Pepe said pointedly. “He has been a player and he knows what the players think and want in terms of work. He has brought the group together.”
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— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) March 7, 2016
The players will stay at #RMCity until they return to the Bernabéu before tomorrow's match!#RMUCL pic.twitter.com/0NpykRyo7M
Pepe also revealed that Zidane has instructed his players to focus on their task on the field rather than allowing themselves to become distracted by the endless hyperbole surrounding the club.
The high demands of Madrid’s supporters and the disproportionate reactions of the Spanish media to every victory or defeat can make it difficult for the club’s players to retain a sense of perspective.
“We don’t wear ourselves down with things that are not football,” added Pepe. “For example, they say that Cristiano Ronaldo is bad. He is the league’s top scorer, he has scored lots of goals and people still criticise him.
I would like to be in his situation: to not be good and score so many goals!”
Zidane: "The Roma game will not be easy."
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) March 7, 2016
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Madrid are well in command of the tie, leading 2-0 from the first match in Rome last month.
Ronaldo scored the opener in that game and Alessandro Florenzi will once against be tasked in marking the Portuguese, who scored via a deflection off the Italian.
You can’t give Ronaldo an inch,” Florenzi said. “You can go right or left against him but it’s just the same. Maybe I was a bit unlucky but I still believe it was one of our best showings.
“We’re definitely not going to give anything away, not even at the Bernabeu.”
