Zinedine Zidane has reportedly told the Real Madrid squad that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season. This happened after the second leg semi-final defeat in the Champions League to Chelsea, and before the game against Sevilla.
The news of the departure is being claimed as the main reason behind the pre-match press conference starting later than usual. During the conversation with the press ahead of today’s clash against Athletic Club Bilbao Zidane was quoted saying:
“There are times when you need to be there and times when you have to leave for the good of all.”
Zidane has come under fire for his team’s performances this season. However, Madrid managed to qualify for the semifinals of the Champions League and are still in the hunt for the LaLiga title, behind their local rivals Atletico.
The primary source of criticism for the Frenchman’s version of the club is the lack of reliance on youth. Inversely, his dependency on the more experienced players has left the club exposed for a lack of energy many times throughout the campaign.
That said, the Madrid boss has had an unbelievable number of injuries to deal with. Major players like Sergio Ramos, Eden Hazard, Raphael Varane and Dani Carvajal have been on the treatment table for prolonged periods of time. This has caused Zidane to be without his first-choice XI for most of the season.
Max Allegri, Joachim Low, Carlo Ancelotti and Raul are among the various names being linked with the job, should Zidane truly leave.
