Kaka backs Real Madrid and 'unbelievable' Zidane to deliver trophies

Zinedine Zidane is under pressure after a disappointing run of results but Kaka backed him to deliver major trophies this season.

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane

Real Madrid can overcome its indifferent start to the season and deliver a major trophy, according to Kaka.

After finishing 19 points behind La Liga winner Barcelona and being eliminated from the Champions League by Ajax in the round of 16 last season, Madrid has won just two of its opening five competitive matches of 2019-20.

Draws against Real Valladolid and Villarreal in La Liga and a 3-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League have left coach Zinedine Zidane's position under threat at a club where he won three consecutive European titles in his first spell as coach.

Kaka, who won the La Liga title with Madrid in 2011-12 and the Copa del Rey a season earlier, noted the expectation around Santiago Bernabeu, telling Omnisport: "For Real Madrid, we always have to win something.

"Of course, this is the pressure for Zidane – he needs to win something. La Liga or the Champions League. These are the two championships that are the most important for the supporters and the club.

"Of course, he knows that. I think Real Madrid has a very good team, very good players and an unbelievable coach.

"Real Madrid is ready to win something this season again."

0 - Real Madrid failed to have a single shot on target against PSG tonight, the first time they have failed to do so in the UEFA Champions League since Opta began collecting such data in the competition in 2003-04 (in 167 games). Shy. #UCL#ChampionsLeaguepic.twitter.com/t4c3yhtHar

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 18, 2019

 

Madrid's €100million close-season signing Eden Hazard came in for criticism after a disappointing performance at Parc des Princes, where Zidane substituted him after 70 minutes.

However, Kaka believes the Belgium international will thrive in Spanish football.

"He's very good and playing in Spain gives him a little more space than here in England," Kaka said of Hazard.

"He'll have the chance, when he gets used to playing in Spain, he'll be more comfortable and we will see a lot of magic from Hazard as well."

Speculating on whether Hazard can compete with Lionel Messi for the La Liga limelight in the way that Cristiano Ronaldo did during his spell at Madrid, Kaka added: "I think we were lucky to watch these two players [Messi and Ronaldo] playing in a battle against each other. It was really, really nice.

"Now, we love to see how Real Madrid are going to handle Barcelona, how Real Madrid can win the league again. And, of course, Hazard will be one of the keys for these chances for Real Madrid.

"If they are going to create this rivalry between Hazard and Messi... we will see."