Although Zinedine Zidane and Nacho Fernandez have denied the reports, multiple outlets in Spain have corroborated Fernando Burgos of Onda Cero’s report that the manager told his players that he will officially step down as Real Madrid coach at the end of the season.
Regardless of the veracity of this meeting or not, there’s a very real possibility that Zidane is burned out and will walk away on his own terms once more. Real Madrid did not miss a beat on Sunday, grinding out a 1-0 win over Athletic Club at San Mames, accomplishing what neither league leader Atletico Madrid nor Sevilla could in recent weeks.
As Zidane’s future remains cloudy, Madridistas are contemplating the club’s next move. Max Allegri seems to be a favorite, but some are nostalgic for a Carlo Ancelotti reunion.
However, here are three reasons to back up Raul as the next guy.
Raul can bring new ideas to the table
Raul has achieved a great deal of success with Real Madrid Castilla. They won the UEFA Youth League in 2019-2020 under his managing, and he nearly led them to promotion this season. Los Blancos have a prized manager on their hands, as even Eintracht Frankfurt are pursuing the former Bundesliga striker as Adi Hutter’s successor.
It’s important for Real Madrid to remain on the cutting edge as an organization. They need to be evolving and finding ways to adapt to the times in football. Hiring a promising manager who can blend basic tactical ideas with newer concepts and young players is a good way for Real to get a leg up on the competition. He is just 43 and has the ability to grow with the team, including the players he trained at Castilla.