Gareth Bale has shared interesting details about Zinedine Zidane’s approach at Real Madrid during a highly successful era for the club.
The former Wales international discussed his time playing under Zidane on The Overlap’s Stick to Football show.
The 36-year-old mentioned that Zidane’s style involved less detailed tactical work than what many may expect from a coach who led the team to three consecutive Champions League titles.
Bale notes Zidane’s straightforward tactics at Real Madrid
Photo by GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images
Zidane led Real Madrid to three Champions League victories between 2016 and 2018, but Bale indicated that the team often prepared in a straightforward way rather than with a heavy tactical focus.
According to Bale, most training sessions were centered on simple drills instead of intricate match strategies.
“For matches against teams like Barcelona or Bayern, there would be some tactical work. The rest was mostly standard training: possession games, small goals, followed by shooting and a game,” he explained.
“For big matches, you would spend just 15 minutes on tactical defensive shape rather than focusing on attacking strategies.”
His remarks show that Zidane seemed to have confidence in the quality of Real Madrid’s squad, which included stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, and Toni Kroos, preferring not to overwhelm them with tactical details.
Zinedine Zidane’s prospects in the Premier League
Since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, Zidane has remained a prominent manager without a club.
His name has frequently come up regarding major coaching roles across Europe, including speculation about Manchester United after Ruben Amorim’s exit.
However, Fabrizio Romano reported in January that Zidane is waiting for a chance to manage the French national team.
“He has a verbal agreement to become the new head coach of the French national team after the World Cup, replacing Didier Deschamps. Currently, there’s no concrete contact with Zidane,” the journalist stated, as per UtdDistrict.