Zinedine Zidane has hailed Tottenham as a “good young team” who are “very committed” in a candid interview with Uefa.
The former Real Madrid manager admitted his side could not deal with Spurs during the Champions League group stage last season and the Wembley defeat provided the wake-up call his side needed.
Real Madrid won their third consecutive Champions League in May after defeating Liverpool 3-1 in the final, the second English side they had faced in the competition.
“They’re a good young team – well-balanced and very committed,” Zidane said of Tottenham. “We didn’t manage to get our game going or deal with the periods where we were on the back foot. Ultimately, however, that poor performance helped to make us stronger, as we made sure that we learned lessons from it as a team.”
Zidane on @SpursOfficial: "They’re a good young team – well-balanced and very committed. Ultimately, that poor performance (Real Madrid at Wembley) helped make us stronger, as we made sure that we learned lessons from it as a team." Interview @UEFAcom CL technical report #THFC
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) September 5, 2018
OPINION
Given Real’s extraordinary Champions League success under Zidane, one of the greatest ever footballers, his assessment of Tottenham is worth reading. It should certainly be a boost to Mauricio Pochettino and his squad that the serial-winning manager rates them so highly, noting their balance, youth and commitment. Intriguingly, the match at Wembley was momentous, not just providing a marquee victory for Spurs that firmly demonstrated why they belonged on Europe’s biggest stage. It was also a turning point for Real to jolt their team back into action and show what they needed to do to reclaim their place at the top of European football five months later. That they did so was testament to the experience and quality of the players, and a manager who provided the platform for them to perform. Spurs must use the backing of the likes of Zinedine to reach greater heights this season, although they must first navigate a group that is every bit as difficult as the one they were in 12 months ago.