Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane showed his class as he waited for five minutes in front of the Barca locker-room to give Andres Iniesta a goodbye hug after last night's Classico clash.
The big names got on the score-sheet in the greatly-anticipated match at the Nou Camp. Luis Suarez opened the scoring for the home side, Cristiano Ronaldo levelled, before Lionel Messi put Barca ahead again with a neat finish. Gareth Bale, a man who has been linked with a move away from Madrid this summer, slammed home the equaliser to finish off a brilliant contest.
But Zidane put rivalries aside after the match to show his appreciation for Barca legend Iniesta. The midfielder will be leaving the club his summer after 17 years with the side. Last night's match between the two Spanish giants would be the 33-year-old's very last El Classico. He has helped Barca earn 31 trophies, an astounding record by any measure.
The game was Barcelona's last real test in remaining unbeaten during a whole La Liga campaign. The southern Spain side have already clinched the title, and look set to match Arsenal's seemingly impossible task of not losing through an entire league season.
Before the match, via the Metro, former French legend Zidane said of Iniesta. 'As I said in my press conference the other day, he is a player we all admirer.
"He is not just any old player in terms of what he's achieved and the person he is. We all know what he's like. So, we just want to congratulate him on his career and wish him luck in the future."
Zidane, remarkably, will lead Real to yet another Champions League final. This time against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool. If Madrid win, it will be Zidane's third title in just two years. No other manager has ever won more than three.
We just hope to see more respect like this in football. It's great to see.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: El Classico, Football News, Football, La Liga
