Zinedine Zidane RESIGNS as manager of Real Madrid with immediate effect after missing out on LaLiga title to rivals Atletico Madrid and being knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea
- Zinedine Zidane has resigned as manager of Real Madrid with immediate effect
- Doubts over France icon’s future grew after Madrid missed out on the LaLiga title
- Los Blancos were also knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-final
- Zidane was expected to leave at the end of season even if Madrid won the title
- He had felt for some time he did not have backing of president Florentino Perez
Zinedine Zidane has resigned as manager of Real Madrid with immediate effect.
Doubts over the his future had been growing after Madrid were pipped to the LaLiga title last weekend by rivals Atletico Madrid.
Sportsmail reported earlier this month that Zidane would walk away from the club regardless of whether they secured the title after Zidane sensed for some time that he did not have the backing of Florentino Perez.
Zinedine Zidane has chosen to step down as manager of Real Madrid with immediate effect
Doubts over Zidane’s future were growing following a difficult season for Madrid
Zidane’s future was made more uncertain when they were pipped to LaLiga by Atletico Madrid
Zidane was always expected to leave this summer amid tension with Florentino Perez (right)
Spanish publication AS report Zidane has already informed both the club’s directors and the first team squad that he has left the club, with an official statement from both the club and manager expected in the coming hours.
The Frenchman had been in charge of in two spells since 2016, and has won three Champions Leagues in the Spanish capital.
He also guided Madrid to the LaLiga title last season but they were unable to repeat the feat this time around in a trophy-less campaign after struggling with injuries and an ageing squad.
They lost in the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea and were also dumped out of the Copa del Rey in the round of 32 at the hands of lowly Alcoyano.
Zidane is expected to be an immediate target for Juventus or the France national team following his departure from the Bernabeu.
Club icon Raul (left) and former Juventus boss Maximiliano Allegri (right) have been linked
Antonio Conte has also been mentioned as a replacement after he left Inter Milan yesterday
Zidane has twice managed Real over the past five years, winning three Champions Leagues
Club legend Raul has been seen by supporters as the long-term successor to Zidane, but Perez is thought to prefer former Juve boss Max Allegri should he be available.
Antonio Conte’s name has also been mentioned as a replacement after the Italian resigned as manager of Inter Milan on Wednesday.
The recent Serie A winner was linked with the vacant post in 2018 after Julen Lopetegui was sacked and could be in Perez’s mind as an option this time.
Following Madrid’s 2-1 defeat by Villarreal last week which saw them miss out on the title on the final day, Zidane said: ‘We have to congratulate Atletico Madrid. They deserve it, they had a great season.
‘I’m not the most important thing here. The most important thing is what the players did all year. We have to think about what we did all season, congratulate the players, and then with time, with calm, we’ll see.
Despite problems with Perez, Zidane always maintained he has the backing of dressing room
Striker Karim Benzema said earlier this week that he didn’t ‘see a Madrid without Zidane’
‘I’ll talk with the club, calmly, but not right now.’
Despite appearing to not have Perez’s backing, Zidane has always maintained he has had the overwhelming support of the players, with influential striker Karim Benzema saying only this week that he expected the manager to be in charge next season.
‘Zizou has always been sincere with me,’ Benzema told L’Equipe, ‘I respect him a lot because he is very direct with me. He gives me a lot of confidence on the pitch.
‘As of now, Zidane is Real Madrid ‘s coach. I don’t see him leaving. He won’t leave, you’ll see. If he leaves, he leaves but, for the moment, I don’t see a Madrid without Zidane.’
