MADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has already told his players he will leave the La Liga club at the end of the season, Spanish media claimed early Sunday.
According to Onda Cero radio and Goal online, the Frenchman, who has a contract until 2022, informed his squad about his decision before last weekend’s 2-2 La Liga draw at home with Sevilla where Real missed the chance to top the table.Newspaper Marca said he addressed the team on May 8, a day before that game.
Goal added: “The coach informed his players last Saturday before facing Sevilla on Sunday at Valdebebas”.
Onda Cero reporter Fernando Burgos said Zidane’s likely successor would come from a shortlist which includes former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, ex-player Raul Gonzalez and Joachim Loew who will step down as Germany coach at the end of this summer’s European Championships.
Earlier on Saturday, Zidane had hinted he could leave, saying he believes “there comes a time when it’s the moment to change”.
“I don’t leave because it’s easy,” he told a news conference ahead of the team’s next tie against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. “It’s not like I turn away and don’t look back. No, there are moments when you have to be there and there are moments when that’s it, it’s finished, it’s time to change. But for the good of everyone, not just for me.”
Zidane spoke warmly about his players, describing his relationship with them as one of “total respect” while adding their time together is “something that will be there forever”.
When it was put to him that it felt like he was saying goodbye, Zidane said: “I can only say the same thing. I don’t know what will happen. I’m here now, yes, and tomorrow we are going to play. Then we will have one match left.”
Real were dumped out of the Copa del Rey by third-tier Alcoyano in January and were defeated comfortably by Chelsea in their Champions League semi-final.
They trail La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid by two points with two games left and have an outside chance of retaining the title.
Zidane left the club in 2018 just after winning a third consecutive Champions League crown, only to return 10 months later. He also quit the club as a player in 2006 when he retired from playing.
Real host Villarreal on May 23 in the final game of the La Liga season.
Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2021