Former Rodez player Cyril Riamond has recalled how Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane rescued the club from financial extinction.

The Ligue 2 minnows will face Caen this week in the Coupe de France and Raimond has recalled how Zidane helped prevent the club from going out of business.

"Zidane saved the club, when I was at Rodez we lived through a very difficult time financially, but Zidane saved the team," said Raimond.

In 2012, the Real Madrid coach participated in a capital increase of the French club of €113,000 together with other professionals such as Olivier Dacourt and Sylvain Ndiaye.

Furthermore, Raimond added: “Zidane's wife is from Rodez and when the club had big financial problems, it was Zidane's intervention that allowed us to continue. He brought his contacts, organised a tournament and an exhibition match with France '98.

"And he also made a donation to the club. Without him, the club would not have recovered."