In 2004, Didier Deschamps’ AS Monaco managed to reach the final of the Champions League. To achieve this, the Principality club notably managed to eliminate Real Madrid after a crazy double confrontation. Ludovic Giuly, then a Monegasque player, remembers it very well, especially as on the sidelines of the return match, he caused some trouble for Zinedine Zidane, then with the Merengue. Explanations.
Beaten 4-2 at the Bernabeu by Real Madrid, AS Monaco had to achieve a feat at home against the Galactics to continue in the Champions League. Winner 3-1, the team then led by Didier Deschamps had managed to qualify thanks to the away goal rule. Guest of Detective Mathoux, Ludovic Giuly, former of Monacoexplained that he will not soon forget this moment: “ This is the most important match of my career. We play a team called the Galactics, there are 3 or 4 Ballon d’Ors in it and we are Little Thumb. The first leg didn’t go very well, we told ourselves we had nothing to lose. The return match is incredible ».
“He was a little mad at me for Zizou”
The Real Madrid had therefore been eliminated by theAS Monaco and now Zinedine Zidane then had problems in Spain. The fault of Ludovic Giuly. What happened? The one who also played for the FC Barcelona first said: “ Is Zidane talking to me at half-time? I don’t like to add because he was angry at me for Zizou a little bit. But I added some in the locker room. I told my manager to ask for his part-time jersey. While talking, I said to him: “Zizou, don’t forget the jersey at the end of the match.” He tells me no worries. I said to him: “It’s going everywhere, it’s good for us.” He tells me they don’t play very well. He didn’t say they were tired. Me, when I enter the locker room: “The guys, I spoke to Zizou, they are tired, they are exhausted, they are having trouble”. I added a little. The second half happens as it happens ».
“Medialy, it was a real problem for him”
Ludovic Giuly then confided on this matter Zinedine Zidane : « I knew afterwards when I went to Barcelona that media-wise, it was a real problem for him 3 days after that match. He was criticized… I didn’t know the impact there was in Madrid in relation to that. I will always remember it, I was on the bus to go to Lens, I received his phone call and we explained on the phone. I tell him that I’m sorry for what happened to him because I didn’t know the impact it had on Spain. Does he want me? I don’t think so. He’s someone I respect a lot. I haven’t played a lot with him, I really respect who he is. When we see each other, we are happy to see each other. Isn’t that ill-intentioned? Exactly ».
