San Francisco / May 26, 2021

Zinedine Zidane announced today he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season. This is in response to Real Madrid getting knocked out of the Champions League semi-final by Chelsea and not winning La Liga. The race for La Liga went to the final day of the season. The margins in European football are very tight. The semi-final with Chelsea was winnable. If the ball bounced the other way a few times, Real Madrid would be in the final against Manchester City.

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This season, Zidane improved as a strategist. He got better at getting the most of the strengths of his team. In every visible area, he improved. He was better at picking lineups, setting formations, making substitutions, and verbally instructing players mid-match. But Zidane is still too harsh as a manager. He makes players think they are crucial to his long-term plans, and then something happens and Zidane will no longer give opportunities to the player. He must change that. Most players perform better if they believe the manager actually cares for them and wants to help them grow.

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I want to see Zidane pick a new team in a different league and show he can manage a less-polished squad, nurture young talent, and help them get to the next level. He should go to the English Premier League. It is the most competitive and dynamic domestic league.

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