Zinedine Zidane’s second stint with La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid ended on Thursday. If the reports in the Spanish media are to be believed then Real are in no hurry to appoint the Frenchman’s successor. Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino, former Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte, and Real Madrid legends Raul and Xabi Alonso are among the top contenders for the Bernabeu job.
The cover page of Spanish sports dailies was dominated by the news of Zidane’s exit. The news first came out on Wednesday night during the Europa League final. However, it was confirmed by Real on Thursday.
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Marca published an infographic of Zidane along with all the trophies he won with Real in his two tenures as a coach. Under Zidane, Real won three consecutive Champions League trophies in 2015, 2016, and 2017. He also guided Real to two La Liga titles (including last season), two European Super Cup wins, and two FIFA Club World Cup victories. The headline of their Friday’s edition read ‘No hurry to secure a successor.’
Real were dethroned as La Liga champions last week by city rivals Atletico and were ousted from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Chelsea in the semifinals.
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Another Spanish daily Diario AS’s Friday edition consists of candidates who can succeed Zidane. According to AS, Pochettino, who is not happy with PSG, will most likely replace the Frenchman before adding that Perez would have to soon secure his services before the Argentine decides to return to Tottenham Hotspur.
Conte is also available in the market after he left Inter Milan just days after guiding them to Serie A. Real legend Raul is another option and would be liked by their fan base despite his inexperience as a manager. Raul is currently in charge of Real Madrid’s reserve team – Castilla.
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Mundo Deportivo, a Barcelona-based newspaper, posted a picture of Zidane looking down with a gloomy expression on his face and wrote, ‘he goes (again)’.
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