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Zinedine Zidane Has Real Madrid Players' Trust and Respect, Says Dani Carvajal
August 3, 2019
Real Madrid full-back Dani Carvajal has said manager Zinedine Zidane has the trust and respect of his squad despite the club enduring its worst pre-season in almost four decades.
Los Blancos begin La Liga's new season away to Celta Vigo on August 17. They've lost three times and won only one of their five pre-season fixtures in normal time, recording their poorest performance in pre-season since 1980, per Carlos Forjanes of AS.
Four-time UEFA Champions League winner Carvajal was part of the Real team that won three successive European trophies under Zidane.
He recently told Omnisport (h/t Goal's Dejan Kalinic) the players are behind their boss despite lacking form in pre-season:
"You can see Zidane is very important, as he has been as a player and also during this first stage as manager.
"Now, in this second stage, I hope he will be important again. I think he is more prepared than ever. Yes, it is true that he already has a few gallons of experience that he did not have before.
"I think he will do it very well. He has the respect, the trust of each and every one of us and I think that is the first step to go far."
The Spaniards recently beat Fenerbahce 5-3 to finish third at the 2019 Audi Cup. Despite clinching their first normal-time victory of the summer, conceding three goals to the team that finished sixth in Turkey's Super Lig last season failed to flatter Real:
La Liga's giants are still seeking their first clean sheet in pre-season, but Zidane said after Wednesday's Audi Cup victory over Fener that he was certain his side will improve, via Goal:
Carvajal's team-mate, Gareth Bale, has also been at the centre of controversy this summer. Bale, seemingly unwanted by his manager, was recently photographed playing golf despite reports injury caused him to miss the Audi Cup.
However, Zidane was calm over the matter and told reporters he can't stop the Welshman doing what he wants, via AS:
Some have taken the winger's side in the ordeal, however, and journalist Ian Doyle recently called Bale's treatment in Madrid "disgraceful":
Zidane returned to Real's helm in March, but a tough end to the 2018-19 season followed by a tough summer of results suggests he may struggle more in his second spell.
Real face Red Bull Salzburg in a friendly fixture on Wednesday before ending their pre-season away to AS Roma on Sunday, August 11.