Published 17:23 IST, August 8th 2020
Zinedine Zidane praised by Pep Guardiola in private chat post Man City-Real Madrid clash
Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola were spotted having an amicable discussion on the sidelines after their Champions League encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
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Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane lost a Champions League knockout match for the first time in his managerial career as Raphael Varane errors gifted Man City a 2-1 win on Friday. Pep Guardiola's side will now Olympique Lyon in the quarter-final next week, who surprised everyone by knocking out tournament favourites Juventus. While Zizou and Pep were embroiled in a fierce tactical battle, the duo shared a long amicable chat on the sidelines after the game had ended.
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Man City vs Real Madrid highlights: Zidane, Pep deep in conversation post Champions League clash
Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane were locked in conversation on the sidelines after Manchester City's win over Real Madrid in the Champions League. The two seemed to have a nice friendly chat after Raphael Varane errors helped Man City seal in place in the Champions League quarter-final. While the errors were to blame, failure to mount a Champions League challenge will bring pressure on Zizou, with Real Madrid a history of lacking patience with managers who do not win the European crown. When quizzed about what Pep and Zidane spoke about, the Man City boss offered support to his counterpart.
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The former Barcelona boss congratulated Zidane for winning the LaLiga title as he always believes winning the league is the most difficult job. Guardiola further said that they spoke about their families and wished them the very best. The former Bayern boss admitted that the Real Madrid manager was one of his idols during his playing days and suffered against France where he was one of the stars. Pep further said that Zidane was one of the greatest even as a human being and likes the way he represents their profession.
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Man City vs Real Madrid highlights: Raphael Varane sends Los Blancos packing
Real Madrid's herculean task of overturning their first-leg deficit was compounded further after 2018 World Cup winner Raphael Varane struggled to cope in the absence of captain Sergio Ramos. The 27-year-old lost possession after Gabriel Jesus pressed him, which created an opening for Raheem Sterling to score his 100th Man City goal. Karim Benzema equalised with a thumping header before Varane's second error of the game allowed Jesus to put City ahead. The defeat sends Real Madrid out of the competition, with Man City set to face Lyon in the quarter-final in Lisbon.
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(Image Courtesy: Champions League, Man City Twitter)
17:23 IST, August 8th 2020