Ex-Real Madrid defender Pavon backs coach Zidane

Real Madrid chief coach Zinedine Zidane is the ideal person despite the recent spate of poor results, the capital football club's former defender Francisco Pavon feels.

"The position of the team in the league is delicate, but (Zidane) is the only Madrid coach to have done the La Liga/European Cup double in the modern era," Pavon told Radio Marca on Tuesday night

"He deserves respect even though there are many people waiting to criticise him. He is doing very well, acts normally in good times and bad times, and is still the ideal person for Real Madrid.

"It is impossible to win everything each year, and I have to admit that things look very difficult in La Liga," he added.

Real were held to a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo after the winter break pushing last season's La Liga champions 16 points adrift of runaway leaders FC Barcelona.

After a year in which the team won a club record five different trophies, a 3-0 Clasico defeat at home to Barcelona was also not taken well by fans before the winter break.

Pavon, who played 106 times for the club in the early 2000s, said, "To be united in such a phrase with a legend like Zidane just made me proud.

"As a Madridista I feel very identified with everything he does. And the club really appreciate what he has done in these last years. We saw it as very difficult to do, and he has achieved it.

"In a short time as coach he has done more than enough to deserve maximum respect. Even knowing that Madrid is a very demanding place to be, he can be there as long as he wants."

--IANS

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