Real Madrid has always been an arch rival of Barcelona and both these giants enjoy competing with each other in every game. If we look at lineup of both the sides, they both carry loads of world class players at each field position hence whenever we have a Real vs. Barca clash, fans do not want to miss single action of the game. But off late, Real has been losing its shine against in-form Barcelona who had been triumphing every title in the last calendar year and this year too they are like crushing every side coming into their way. While on the other side, Real, despite having two world priciest players in the world are not able to match their traditional rivals and credit goes to rising age of Ronaldo who now is getting older with each passing day and even former Real greats understand this vulnerability of losing prime space in European soccer. Former Real Madrid player Steve McManaman is one such pro who believes though new manager Zinedine Zidane would be successful as Los Blancos coach but as well warned Frenchman would have to prepare other options in the forward line without weighing only on Portuguese international.
McManaman has once been the integral part of Real side winning two La Liga and one Champions League crowns for the Bernabeu giant during his short span from 1999 to 2003 and he said this looking at current eight points clear lead on the top by Camp Nou side, and with this form, they are very much likely to defend their European title they won last year. Talking about Zinedine Zidane and if he has enough strength in the side to restrict Barcelona army, 44-year-old Englishman said, “I think Zizou will be a wonderful coach, I really do, but the fact that he is chasing down this Barcelona side — it is going to be very, very difficult for them because the best player at Real by a long way is Ronaldo and he is 31 now.
“Whether he is coming to the end of his superpowers I don’t know but he is certainly the wrong end of 30, while Barca seem to be getting better and better to be very honest. The team that are formed at Barcelona at this moment are wonderful so I think it is going to be very hard for Real Madrid to catch them in the near future, certainly over these next couple of years. Unless they go out and spend trillions of pounds which of course they can’t at this moment in time.
“I think it is going to be difficult for Zizou but I think he is going to be a great Real Madrid manager anyway.”
