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It's time to give Zidane credit for Real Madrid's recent success

Reuters / Michael Dalder Livepic

There was chaos all around Real Madrid at the Vicente Calderon, where the odds of an unlikely comeback by city rival Atletico suddenly increased. Two goals within the first 16 minutes of play in the second leg of the sides' Champions League semi-final made the improbable seem possible.

Never before had Madrid conceded twice so quickly to start a Champions League match, but instead of falling apart, Los Blancos slowly won back possession, restored order where there was anarchy, and scored a timely away goal before half-time.

With Zinedine Zidane in charge, Madrid has rarely ever lost control.

Related: Real Madrid tops Atletico to reach yet another Champions League final

Defeating Atletico 4-2 on aggregate, Madrid showed over 180 minutes of play that it has the individual star power to decide matches, the peace of mind to be patient, and the resolve to manage the big moments.

Zidane is a big reason why.

"At the club where the pressure can be suffocating and the demands impossible to meet, where everything is exaggerated and there is always a crisis around the corner, he transmits calm," wrote the Guardian's Sid Lowe ahead of last year's European showpiece.

When the World Cup winner replaced Rafa Benitez on the bench in January 2016, there were legitimate questions as to whether Zidane could prosper as a manager. Several of the game's greatest players have tried and failed in their second careers, most notably Diego Maradona, whose managerial stints have bordered on self-parody.

Pep Guardiola and Johan Cruyff excelled as coaches and influenced the way the game is played, but Zidane, despite his elegant play as an attacking midfielder, never seemed to possess the same strategic background. So talented was Zidane as a footballer that everything seemed to come easy to him. It gave the impression that he didn't need a plan to break down the opposition - he would just do it.

"The common perception is that he is not as inventive as Guardiola, as inspirational as Jurgen Klopp, as astute as Jose Mourinho, as suave as Carlo Ancelotti," wrote Rory Smith in a profile for The New York Times.

Onlookers could even see Antonio Conte - Zidane's former teammate at Juventus - as more of a tactician. Conte admitted years ago that, as the lesser talented of the two, he had to do more to find solutions. Those experiences informed his coaching philosophy, and unlike Zidane, Conte has influenced his industry peers, popularising the use of the back three in the Premier League.

Zidane, however, has been more than just a custodian of world-class players. Making fools of everyone who doubted him, the 44-year-old may not have inspired a tactical revolution like Guardiola, but he has earned key results and allowed his players to fulfill their potential.

Under Zidane, it has looked so much more like a true team. Everyone has a role, even those players in the bench, frequent substitutes like Alvaro Morata and Marco Asensio earning vital minutes and scoring big goals in matches across the calendar.

Showing his understanding of team dynamics, the Frenchman introduced Casemiro, whose tough-tackling nature doesn't exactly fit the description of a Galactico, as an ideal pivot between two more talented midfielders in Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Balance was achieved, and so were results.

Although injuries have forced changes to the lineup, Zidane has also managed to rotate his squad to great effect. He has rested Cristiano Ronaldo several times throughout the campaign - all to avoid any significant setbacks in the last few months of what could be a double-winning season.

Zidane's tweaked his formation according to his personnel, switching to a 4-3-1-2 when he must call upon Isco over the often-sidelined Gareth Bale, and he has slowly converted Ronaldo in a strong penalty-box poacher.

Zidane has made mistakes. Chasing last month's El Clasico when a draw would've sufficed, 10-man Madrid instead conceded a last-minute winner to Lionel Messi on a swift counterattack.

But the pros outweigh the cons. Look at what Madrid has accomplished since Zidane was appointed: three trophies, a 75 percent winning rate, a run of 40 matches unbeaten, and a record 61 consecutive matches with at least one goal scored.

As Atleti pushed for a memorable comeback in the final meeting between these two rivals at the soon-to-be-shuttered Vicente Calderon, all of that work could have gone to waste.

"We knew we'd suffer, but also that staying calm, we would make chances," Zidane said following the final whistle. "After 25 minutes things changed completely and we found our game."

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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