MADRID (AP) — After a humiliating 7-3 loss to rival Atlético Madrid in a preseason friendly in the United States, Zinedine Zidane insisted his Real Madrid would be just fine once the real competitions began.
And he was right.
Almost year after that loss, Zidane and Madrid are celebrating the Spanish league title — the team’s first since Zidane returned as coach and the first since Cristiano Ronaldo left to join Juventus.
“We weren’t happy with what happened that day. When you concede seven goals, that stays with you, no matter what happens the rest of the season,” Zidane has said.