Real Madrid came out on Monday in defense of its ex-footballer and former coach Zinedine Zidane against «the unfortunate statements» made by the president of the French Football Federation (FFF), Noel Le Graët, which it considers «a lack of respect» towards the Marseille player, and demands an «immediate rectification».
The federative leader assured in an interview this Sunday to ‘RMC’ that if Zidane had called him to lead the national team he would not have «picked up the phone». «Make a special program for him to find a club,» he stressed about the world champion, who sounded as a possible replacement for Didier Deschamps, finally renewed.
«Real Madrid CF regrets the unfortunate statements made by the president of the French Football Federation, Nöel Le Graët, about Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest legends of world sport,» the Madrid side said in a statement.
For the 14-time European champions, the FFF president’s words «are disrespectful to one of the figures most admired by soccer fans around the world.» «Our club expects an immediate rectification. Zinedine Zidane, World and European champion defending his country’s jersey, among many other titles, represents the values of the sport and has demonstrated this throughout his professional career as a player and as a coach,» he remarked.
«The statements of the president of the French Football Federation are unbecoming of someone who holds that representation and are disqualified by themselves, as are those he also makes about our captain Karim Benzema, current Ballon d’Or, Nations League champion with France in 2021 and winner of five Champions League, among many other titles,» he sentenced.
Also Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé was clear on the matter. «Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect a legend like him like that…», wrote the Parisian footballer on his official ‘Twitter’ account.
SOURCE: (EUROPA PRESS)
