According to a recent report by the Sun, Real Madrid are keen on reuniting with their former manager Zinedine Zidane which will add more competition for Chelsea as the English giants are also interested in bringing him to Stamford Bridge to replace Maurizio Sarri.
Los Blancos were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League after losing to AFC Ajax at home with a 4-1 scoreline. It has put Santiago Solari’s position at the club under scrutiny, and the Sun are now claiming that they want Zidane to come back and restore some pride after a tough season at the Spanish capital so far.
This recent development will be a massive blow for the Pensioners’ chances of landing the manager. The West London outfit has had a mediocre campaign under Sarri thus far after failing to secure the Carabao Cup last month. They recently managed to grab a 3-0 win over Dynamo Kiev in the UEFA Europa League which has given them hope of earning some European success this season. However, Sarri is a manager who has come under a lot of criticism after failing to get the best out of his players in high-profile matches.
Hence, Zidane would have been an ideal candidate to replace the Italian manager at the Bridge as he has shown in the past that he is a serial winner. The French legend took charge of 149 matches for the Galacticos during his last spell as a manager, winning 105, drawing 28 and losing only 16 of those matches with a healthy PPG (Points Per Game) average of 2.30 (stats via transfermrkt).
During his managerial tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Zidane managed to win the UEFA Champions League three times while also securing the FIFA Club World Cup twice. He also lifted the Spanish Cup and the Spanish Super Cup once each.
The 46-year-old’s recent success has made him one of the most sought after managers in world football. He will be a good fit for Chelsea as Zidane has shown in the past that he can recruit well when being backed heavily in the transfer market. He has the pedigree and the experience to build a dynasty at the West London club but only if he can be convinced to move to England.
For now, the former Real Madrid midfielder has shown no indication that he wants to return to football management soon, so it has put the Pensioners in a tight spot. They can either choose to back Sarri in the summer or else look for an alternative besides Zidane, especially after the Galacticos’ recent interest in the French head coach. It seems highly unlikely that Chelsea would be able to get their man if Madrid gets involved as Zidane is a Galactico at heart.
