Zidane making history at Real

“I think everything will work out just fine,” said Zinedine Zidane on January 4 after assuming control of first team affairs at Real Madrid.

The Frenchman took over a side that was third in the league and in a downbeat mood after the tenure of Rafa Benitez, who never really made a connection with his players. However, Zidane's connection was instant.

The former player restored peace in the dressing room and swiftly embarked on a record-breaking run as the most successful Real Madrid manager in history over the course of his opening 20 games, picking up 53 points.

13 weeks into his second season in charge, Zidane has eased into top spot in terms of La Liga managers as a whole with 86 points gained in his first 33 games (27 wins, five draws and one defeat). The Frenchman has exceeded even the great Miguel Munoz, who in his first 33 games at the Bernabéu racked up 84 points (27 wins, three draws and three defeats).

Not only that, Zidane's record is better than the two current managers who are thought to be among the best in the world -- Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho's.

In Pep's opening spell at the Nou Camp, he notched up 82 points over his first 33 games in 2008-09 (26 wins, four draws and three defeats), while Mourinho had picked up 80 after arriving at the Bernabéu in 2010-11 (25 wins, five draws and three defeats).

Alongside Munoz, Zidane also boasts the highest win percentage of any manager in La Liga history after 33 games, having won 81.8 per cent of his matches.

Zidane will arrive at Nou Camp for the Clasico next weekend facing perhaps the sternest challenge to his unbeaten run of 31 games. However, should his side be successful there, then more history will be on the horizon for the former Galactico -- Leo Beenhakker's Real Madrid record for most games without a loss, set between 1988 and 1989, when Real were unbeaten in 34.