Federico Valverde dreaded Zinedine Zidane's reaction after injuring his son Luca in training.
What happened?
Valverde, a midfielder for Real Madrid, has played under Zidane's tutelage for three years and won the La Liga title and Champions League together.
The incident
Luca, 27, is the second-oldest son of Zidane and currently plays for Granada and the Algeria national team, came through the academy of Madrid and made two senior appearances for the club before departing in 2020.
Valverde revealed his fear after injuring Luca, saying: "I wanted to die, I thought they were going to sack me, I injured Zidane's son."
Zidane's influence
Valverde credits Zidane with helping him develop his character, giving him tranquillity and peace of mind to know that things would work out for him.
With 14 major honours to his name at Madrid, Valverde was moulded at the Bernabeu and opened up about Zidane's influence on his personal life.
He said: "Zidane helped me develop my character. He gave me tranquillity and peace of mind to know that things would work out for me."
Valverde also praised Carlo Ancelotti, who he described as like "family" to him, saying: "Ancelotti made me believe in myself. He's like family to me. I love him very much."
Looking ahead
With eight games to go, Madrid sit seven points behind reigning league champions Barcelona in La Liga, and a Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich beckons on Tuesday.
Valverde's first half hat-trick in the first leg against Manchester City proved pivotal, and he said: "Everything went my way against City. I never thought I could score three goals. It was incredible."
The 15-time European champions bested Manchester City in the previous tie 5-1 on aggregate, and Valverde's performance was a key factor in their success.
Valverde's wife had told him to score, but three goals was unthinkable, and he felt the fans' support, which was the best part of the match.
The midfielder has played for the Spanish giants since 2017, and his experience under Zidane and Ancelotti has been instrumental in his development as a player.
Valverde's fear of Zidane's reaction after injuring his son is a testament to the respect he has for the French football icon.
The incident highlights the close relationship between Valverde and Zidane, and the influence the latter has had on the former's career.
Valverde's admiration for Zidane is clear, and he credits him with helping him develop his character and giving him the confidence to succeed on the pitch.
The midfielder's performance against Manchester City was impressive, and his hat-trick in the first leg was a key factor in their success.
Valverde's experience under Zidane and Ancelotti has been instrumental in his development as a player, and he continues to be an important part of the Real Madrid team.
The Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich will be a tough test for Madrid, but with Valverde's form and Zidane's influence, they will be looking to advance to the next round.
The match against Bayern Munich will be played on Tuesday, and Valverde will be looking to continue his good form and help his team succeed.
The Spanish giants will be looking to close the gap with Barcelona in La Liga, and their upcoming matches will be crucial in determining their chances of winning the title.
Valverde's injury to Luca may have sparked fear, but it has also highlighted the close relationship between the two and the respect Valverde has for Zidane.
The incident has also shown the importance of Zidane's influence on Valverde's career, and the midfielder will be looking to continue to make him proud.
The future looks bright for Valverde, and with Zidane's guidance, he will be looking to achieve great things in his career.
The midfielder's performance against Manchester City was impressive, and he will be looking to continue his good form in the upcoming matches.
The Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich will be a tough test, but with Valverde's form and Zidane's influence, they will be looking to advance to the next round.
The match against Bayern Munich will be played on Tuesday, and Valverde will be looking to continue his good form and help his team succeed.
Valverde's experience under Zidane and Ancelotti has been instrumental in his development as a player, and he continues to be an important part of the Real Madrid team.
The Spanish giants will be looking to close the gap with Barcelona in La Liga, and their upcoming matches will be crucial in determining their chances of winning the title.
Valverde's injury to Luca may have sparked fear, but it has also highlighted the close relationship between the two and the respect Valverde has for Zidane.
The incident has also shown the importance of Zidane's influence on Valverde's career, and the midfielder will be looking to continue to make him proud.
The future looks bright for Valverde, and with Zidane's guidance, he will be looking to achieve great things in his career.