Real Madrid’s Zidane looks to add to coaching success

Ex-star is thriving at helm of Spanish club that plays Manchester City at the Coliseum.

Less than three years ago, Zinedine Zidane was starting his coaching career after retiring as one of the most celebrated players in soccer history, taking over Real Madrid’s B team.

Fast forward to 2017, and Zidane is on his way to becoming one of the most successful coaches in European soccer history, for one of the sport’s winningest clubs.

Since taking the helm from Rafa Benitez in January 2016, Zidane brought Real Madrid its first Spanish league title since 2012 and became the first coach to win consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.

The club’s success has reinvigorated a devoted worldwide fan base that is used to success on the highest levels.

“We were one step ahead because he’s a player that played soccer, and when he played he was good,” Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro said about Zidane on Tuesday through an interpreter.

“It’s great to have someone who understands the mind of a player because that’s really important to us.”

Zidane will be without the club’s biggest star Wednesday night when Real Madrid meets Manchester City at the Coliseum as part of the International Champions Cup.

Organizers expect a crowd of more than 90,000, but Cristiano Ronaldo will not be on the field — the four-time world player of the year is vacationing in China.

As for what Zidane thinks of the matchup against the English Premier League powerhouse, that’s unclear, since the coach did not attend a news conference Tuesday at UCLA before Real Madrid’s training session.

Real Madrid has been practicing at UCLA since mid-July and began its U.S. tour Sunday, falling to Manchester United on penalties 2-1 after a 1-1 tie in Santa Clara.

Now in its fifth installment, the ICC is an annual series of friendly games meant to simulate a tournament.

The series, which runs through Sunday, serves as a preseason tuneup for the major European league seasons, which begin in August.