Zidane takes a leaf from Santiago Bernabeu's book: We used to be proud Real Madrid Gave a stirring and direct team talk

The Estadio Santiago Bernabeu let the Real Madrid players know exactly how frustrated they were when they left the pitch at half-time, 1-0 down to Eibar. Beyond the score, the fans were angrier than they had expressed at any point in recent years.

Zinedine Zidane had a job to do at half-time. He realised the situation was delicate, and he managed it well.

"He told us four things very clearly," Sergio Reguilon said after the game.

"I'm not going to tell you," said Zidane when asked what he told his players.

There is one team talk that stands above all the rest in Madrid's history, and that came in Vienna in 1956, during a European Cup match on November 14.

Madrid president at the time, Santiago Bernabeu, addressed coach Jose Villalonga Llorente and his players with fury, asking: "what are you doing, whining?

"I'm ashamed to look at you, but more to watch how you've played.

"Do you know how many Spaniards there are in the stadium? Workers who've come from far away, who know they'll be made fun of tomorrow, do you know the sacrificed people have made?

"You're unworthy of them. If you have any shame left, go out there and behave like men."

After the break, Alfredo Di Stefano scored to take the tie to a tiebreaker in Madrid, which Los Blancos won 2-0.

A message of pride

Zidane's speech wasn't as aggressive, but it hit close to home.

"We used to be proud," he told the players.

Madrid were a different team in the second half. They weren't their best, but they pushed and deserved their win in the end.