Zinedine Zidane has already told the Real Madrid first-team squad that he will leave the club at the end of the 2020/21 season. He won’t stay on as coach for next year.
Last Saturday, after the Champions League elimination against Chelsea and before the LaLiga Santander match against Sevilla, Zidane spoke to the players after training and communicated his decision. That is why that day’s press conference started later than usual.
This new was reported by Fernando Burgos on Onda Cero and MARCA has confirmed that the meeting took place on that Saturday, on May 8.
As the coach told the dressing room, he has thought long and hard about his decision and it is final. He believes his time at Real Madrid is over and that it’s time to step aside. This is the Frenchman’s second time leaving Los Blancos’ dugout, although it won’t come as such a surprise as when he departed in 2018.
“There are times when you need to be there and times when you have to leave for the good of all,” he said In his press conference ahead of the Athletic Club match, a mysterious message that now makes more sense.
Zidane has won 11 titles as Real Madrid head coach and could win a 12th, depending on what happens over the final two rounds of the league season. Only Miguel Munoz, who won 14, has brought more silverware to the club’s trophy cabinets.
Raul is best placed to succeed Zidane
With Zidane‘s exit confirmed inside the club, Real Madrid are looking for a new coach. Zidane will be tough to replace.
As MARCA has learned, Raul is the best placed to succeed his former teammate. Massimiliano Allegri and Joachim Low are also options, but Raul – who is also wanted by Eintracht Frankfurt – is the top candidate.
