Ahead of the crunch last-16 clash, the Italian manager suggests he would rather go against the Frenchman as a coach than as a player.
Gian Piero Gasperini has joked he is relieved Zinedine Zidane will stay on the sidelines when Atalanta face Real Madrid, having seen his opposite number do “incredible things” during his playing days.
Zidane has enjoyed great success as a manager, winning 11 trophies in five years so far including Champions League triumphs three times in succession.
However, his CV as a player by and far more illustrious. In a senior career spanning 17 years, he won two Serie A titles, two Intercontinental Cups, Champions League, World Cup, European Championship, UEFA Club Footballer of the Year, Ballon d’Or, FIFA World Player of the Year, FIFA World Cup Golden Ball, among a plethora of other honors.
“I’d be very worried if Zidane was playing [on Wednesday], but luckily he’ll be on the bench,” Gasperini said in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Champions League last-16 first leg on Wednesday, via Marca.
“I saw him do some incredible things. I was a youth coach at Juventus when he was there, and I stayed behind to watch him training.”
Gasperini added: “We don’t have their habit of playing these games, while they have played against more famous teams than us. They have such a habit of playing in this competition and they are very dangerous, even without some players.
“For us, it remains an event. We have some more motivation.”
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