‘Sorry’ Zidane sympathizes with sacked Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde

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Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has said that he understands the pressure which involves leading Spain’s super clubs and has thus only sympathy for Ernesto Valverde after his Barcelona exit.

However, Zidane does not expect that Valverde’s sacking will derail Barca and expects their rivals to be threatening under Quique Setien.zidane-feels-sorry-for-valverde-after-sack-2020

Following their Supercopa de Espana semi-final exit at the hands of Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, FC Barcelona opted to part ways with Valverde despite the former Athletic Bilbao boss winning La Liga in each of the two full seasons at the helm.

The Catalans are currently level on points at the summit with Madrid, who claimed Supercopa glory with a penalty shoot-out triumph against their city-rivals Atleti.

“I’m sorry for him, first of all. That’s all I can really say,” Madrid manager Zidane told a news conference.

“It’s not a great situation but he’s a coach who’s always shown that he’s very good. I’ve got a great deal of admiration for him

“Each club and each situation is different. Each coach knows what they’re doing and where they’re at. They know what the situation is at a big club.

“If we lose two games I’m going to get criticized as well. That happened not too long ago. I know where I am and what the situation is.

“We can’t always play well and win, so it is difficult. But what we try to do is give 100 percent. It’s the same for the coach at Barcelona, we all try and do our best and then you people can go off and talk about whatever you want.

“Things are never going to change, but I’m sorry about Valverde losing his job.”

Setien who was formerly the coach of real Betis doesn’t have a major honor under his belt in his coaching career but there is excitement over how his all-action, the high-pressing style will work at Camp Nou.zidane-0n-valverde-sack-by-barcelona

“I expect them to be the same as always. Barcelona will always compete with all the coaches they have. Nothing is going to change,” Zidane said.

“They’re going to do their work and we’re going to do ours. Things will always be the same. We’ll always have the same rivalry.”

Madrid faces Sevilla on Saturday, in a clash which sees former manager Julen Lopetegui return to the Bernabeu.

“He’s a great coach and he always has been,” Zidane said. “I don’t want to talk about his time in Madrid.

“What I can say is he is a good coach. I hope he’s received well.”