Solari dismisses Zidane comparisons

Santiago Solari dismissed comparisons to Zinedine Zidane after being appointed interim coach of Real Madrid.

Solari was named caretaker Madrid boss after Julen Lopetegui was sacked in the wake of his side's 5-1 El Clasico loss to Barcelona on Sunday.

The former Argentina and Madrid midfielder steps up from his role as Castilla coach – just as Zidane did in 2016 – but Solari played down comparisons.

"Let's just let him live in peace, he's one of Real Madrid's greatest icons," he told a news conference on Tuesday.

"There's not enough words to describe Zizou, let's leave him live with his greatness and not compare [us].

"Nobody can compare with him."

First session with Solari #RMCity | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/nsprUBOSGC

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) October 30, 2018

Zidane was at the helm of Madrid for two and a half years, leading the club to three straight Champions League titles and a LaLiga crown before resigning in May.

Solari will take charge of Madrid for the first time in a Copa del Rey clash against Melilla on Wednesday.