Zidane Avisa Estais Avisados Access

Before half-time, Vinícius Jr. scored a second. Then a third. Then, in the second half, a counter-attack so perfect, so cruel, that the Liverpool defenders simply stopped running. They knew. They had been warned.

Benzema, with the outside of his right boot, flicked the ball into the far corner.

Real Madrid were drowning.

The room froze.

1-0.

Then Zinédine Zidane walked in.

“I told you,” he said.

“You heard him,” Ramos growled. “Let’s go.”

“Escucho muchas tonterías afuera.” (I hear a lot of nonsense outside.) zidane avisa estais avisados

The press room at Valdebebas was buzzing. Real Madrid had just lost the Clásico, and the vultures were circling. Sixty journalists sat with loaded questions about tactics, about the veteran squad, about the ghost of the Champions League.

The warning had been for everyone else.