We are pleased he is the captain of our ship – Sergio Ramos hails Zidane

Sergio Ramos feels Zinedine Zidane is the perfect coach for Real Madrid and has hailed the Frenchman’s unique philosophy.

Zidane took charge of Madrid in January 2016 after the club had parted ways with Rafael Benitez and he guided the Santiago Bernabeu side to Champions League glory in his first season as head coach.

Madrid, one point clear of second-placed Barcelona but with two games in hand over the chasing pack, are on track to win LaLiga this term to follow up last season’s European success and Ramos has nothing but praise for his boss.

“Zizou’s arrival was positive and he brought in many changes. Every manager has his own philosophy, his own ideas and way of interacting with the players and striking up a bond with them,” Ramos told the official UEFA website ahead of the first leg of Madrid’s Champions League round-of-16 tie at home to Napoli on Wednesday. 

“Zizou was a player himself and you can see this in his approach to management. He has his own unique point of view and ideas.

“He explained very clearly what he expected from us. We started the calendar year quite well. We almost won the league and we fought from the day he arrived until the end of the season. We achieved one of our main goals, winning the Champions League, which was very important for us yet challenging at the same time.”

According to Ramos, Zidane’s experience of playing at the highest level for Juventus, Madrid and France gives him an important insight into the players’ mentalities. 

“He has been able to translate the humility and talent he had as a player into handling the dressing room, when he has needed to, as a coach,” he said.

“This is a great quality. He has that certainty, that feeling with the players; he understands how we think. That is not easy in a dressing room like ours, with people from all over the world, different cultures and customs. He has managed to keep the balance in the changing room. In the end, the team notices that and you can see the results on the pitch.

“We are very happy with him and pleased that he is in charge and the captain of our ship. We hope to keep getting results and achieving our objectives, which after all is what determines a coach’s stay at a club.”