Madrid must stick with Zidane – Benzema

Karim Benzema has urged the Real Madrid hierarchy to stick with Zinedine Zidane as the club’s head coach beyond the 2015-16 campaign in the wake of their Champions League win over Wolfsburg.

Cristiano Ronaldo starred with a hat-trick as Madrid overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit to progress to the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.

Madrid beat Barcelona in the Clasico this month and have pulled within four points of their arch-rivals at the top of La Liga on the back of six straight league wins.

And Benzema, who revealed on Wednesday that he will not be selected in the France squad for Euro 2016, feels Zidane has shown he is the right man for the job.

“This is also Zidane’s success,” Benzema told AS. “I have a lot of respect for Zidane. He gives me a lot of confidence.

“I have already said it before, but Zidane is like a godfather to me. He is my coach now and I get along with him very well.

“I am very happy for him that we beat Wolfsburg. He deserves this success.

“Of course, I want him to continue as Madrid coach. He is showing everyone that he was not only a great player, but is a great coach as well.”