Real Madrid vs. Manchester City: Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo React to Win

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane revealed that he sees the UEFA Champions League final as a "50-50" fixture, after Los Blancos booked their spot in the showpiece against Atletico Madrid with a win over Manchester City on Wednesday evening.

An own goal from Fernando gave Los Blancos a 1-0 win on the night and on aggregate. They will now face their local rivals in the final at the San Siro on May 28, a repeat of the 2014 climax that was won by the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium club 4-1 after extra time.

Zidane, who only took over as boss from Rafael Benitez in January, thinks the final is a tough one to call, per ESPN FC’s Dermot Corrigan:

He also praised the efforts of his players, per the tournament’s official feed:

The two ties against City certainly weren’t the most entertaining affairs, although Real did a professional job. In terms of structure, they were superb, nullifying the influence of stars like Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne in both encounters.

The Real chief hailed the discipline and tactical concentration his team displayed:

After the game, City boss Manuel Pellegrini said he felt as though “neither of the two teams deserved to win the game” and “neither team had clear chances,” per Corrigan. Zidane would not be drawn on whether he agreed with that assessment:

The Frenchman also spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo, who made his return to the starting XI after an injury lay-off.

While there was plenty of speculation as to whether or not the 31-year-old would play, Zidane said from a physical point of view, he’s fully fit and will continue to feature:

Ronaldo was a nuisance in the final third on the night, but he didn’t have the golden touch that so often makes a difference in these big games.

The Portuguese revealed he was feeling tired after the clash but was delighted nonetheless.

"We are happy because we are in the final and it is special,” he said, per BT Sport (h/t BBC Sport).

“One-nil is a short result, but we were the better side. I have not competed for 15 days but people forget I recover quickly. I'm tired but really happy.”

JAVIER SORIANO/Getty Images

Matt Dickinson of the Times gave his assessment of the forward’s performance and a damning one of City in the process:

It’ll be a momentous occasion for the football club and a chance to secure what’d be an incredible 11th European Cup success.

It’s also an opportunity for the iconic Frenchman to add another chapter to his legacy in the beautiful game:

For Zidane, taking this team into a European Cup final is a huge achievement after just months in charge. The Frenchman clearly commands the respect of his players and has got this team organised.

While there was no attacking swagger about Madrid on Wednesday, once they went ahead, they never looked in danger of losing their advantage.

As the previous graphic illustrates, history beckons for the Madrid boss now.

As a player, when he scored a stunning goal against Bayer Leverkusen in the final of the 2002 Champions League, he left a lasting impression on the grandest stage in club football. Now there’s a wonderful chance for him to do so as a manager.