New Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has insisted that there can be no comparison between himself and Pep Guardiola.
Zidane was appointed as Madrid boss yesterday despite his only previous managerial experience being with the club's Castilla side - a similar switch to the one Barcelona made when appointing Guardiola in 2008.
Guardiola has since gone on to forge a reputation as one of the best managers in football, winning five league titles, three domestic cups, and the Champions League twice, but while Zidane is hopeful of instilling a similar style of play and to challenge for European honours, he played down comparisons with the current Bayern Munich boss.
"I'm very happy to be here. I have very clear targets and will do everything I can to reach those targets. I want to play attacking, balanced football and that's all," Zidane told reporters.
"When you're playing in this shirt and everything is possible. We're in the last 16 of the Champions League and we'll try to win it. The most important is to play football and my concept for that is to try and play fast, possession football in the opposition half. I want to take advantage of this opportunity. I'm at the best team in the world and all I want is to win titles with this team. To win everything. That's our goal. We have two that we can win & we're going to go for it.
"You can't compare me with Guardiola. I won't compare myself, I never did that as a player and won't do it as a coach. I need to be a coach my way. I have to be Zidane."
Zidane also revealed that Gareth Bale was upset at the decision to sack Rafael Benitez after just seven months in charge, but vowed to treat the world's most expensive player in the same way as his predecessor.
"Gareth was disappointed with the sacking of Rafa because he was important for him but I'll treat him the same way Rafa did," he added.
Zidane's first match as Madrid manager comes on Saturday when Real welcome Deportivo La Coruna to the Bernabeu.
Barney Corkhill
