Newly-appointed Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane warned on Friday that Cristiano Ronaldo would not be leaving the club under his tenure.
“Cristiano is more than untransferable. He’s the soul of this Madrid. As long as I’m here he won’t leave, that’s for sure,” the Frenchman said at a news conference ahead of his first game in charge on Saturday against Deportivo La Coruna at the Bernabeu.
“Cristiano will play along the wing and he’ll play whatever happens.
“I’m going to give few instructions to Cristiano, his record talks for itself. The only thing I want is that he feels happy. At ease.”
Madrid’s all-time leading scorer, who turns 31 next month, reportedly was uncomfortable with Zidane’s predecessor Rafael Benitez.
The World Player of the Year also fuelled speculation concerning his future by stating several times that he was uncertain what he would do next season, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested in the Portuguese forward.
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A move back to Manchester United, from who he left in 2009 to join Madrid, also is a source of speculation.
Zidane, who took over from Benitez last Monday, also seemed to rule out transfer requests at the winter window.
“Possible departures, I don’t think and I don’t want,” the Frenchman said.
“Signings neither. I have an important group and am satisfied with what I have.”
Zidane said he has been lifted into another dimension since his sensational appointment as Madrid coach four days ago.
The former assistant coach, 43, got right down to work within hours of Benitez being fired on Monday night as he takes the step up from his previous job handling Castilla, the Real B team.
Despite his limited experience as a coach, the France 1998 World Cup winner said he was confident he could get the best out of his star-studded team as he looks to get them back in the fight for the Primera Liga title.
Real currently are four points off leaders Atletico Madrid in third place.
“I was happy, I saw a focused team who want to reconnect with certain things,” he said. “It was spectacular. The team had only one desire, to play.
“Tonight I’ll sleep very well because today’s training was very good, as were the last three days.”
Former World Player of the Year Zidane, who finished his playing career at Real in 2006, said he had been impressed by the squad.“I said as an aside to Karim [Benzema]: ‘But what quality you have [the team]!’ They never lose the ball. When we do a possession exercise it’s difficult for those who defend to get the ball back,” Zidane said.
“I can’t pick out a specific player, as they are all very good. It’s a pleasure to observe that from the outside.
“I’m really convinced that it’s going to work out well. When you see this team and its quality, you can only say that.”
He insisted he did not feel overwhelmed by expectations ahead of his first match against Deportivo.
“People have talked a lot about it recently but those who come to the stadium will come to see their team play well and win, that’s the most important,” Zidane said. “For me, it’s a landmark. You pass into another dimension. Everything has gone very fast.
“Monday I was preparing my match against Ebro [third division] and in the afternoon it all changed, changed. That’s what is amazing, but now I’m ready, well prepared. I hope tomorrow [Saturday], the result will come, but I don’t doubt it. I am very, very, very happy.”
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