Real Madrid: The possible favorite to replace Zinedine Zidane

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has officially left the club, leaving Los Blancos in a search for his replacement. There are a number of quality options available, though that list seems to be dwindling. And there is no perfect candidate.

Antonio Conte and Mauricio Pochettino are the two most accomplished names linked to Real Madrid. Conte just won the Scudetto with Inter Milan, while Pochettino had chronic underachievers Tottenham close to winning the Champions League and Premier League in the past before coaching PSG this past half-season.

According to a report from Goal.com’s Ruben Uria, most people within Real Madrid would like to hire Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s successor for Zinedine Zidane.

This news is not surprising. Before Pochettino joined PSG, he had been loosely linked with Real. And if Conte is seen as someone whose personality and philosophy would clash with the controlling environment at the Santiago Bernabeu, then Pochettino becomes more appealing.

Mauricio Pochettion could be favored by Real Madrid due to the appeal of him leading a ‘Revolution’

Pochettino could also be more likely to work with younger players, fulfilling the role as the leader of the “Revolution” which never really got going in 2019. Real seem to want a restart, and Pochettino can be a way of pushing that button.

There will be some question marks about his ability to manage an elite club, and his recent performances in PSG have been a bit concerning. Pochettino is a big name and attractive option, but he is not without flaws.

Despite some of my misgivings with Poch, he is very much a quality manager and undoubtedly one of the three best options for the bench.

Uria reports that Pochettino would favor joining Real Madrid, though the situation is complicated since Poch is under contract with the Parisians for one more season. Still, there are rumors of unrest between the manager and sporting director Leonardo, who already forced Thomas Tuchel out the door last season, so there’s a possibility Real can score their apparent top target.

PSG are not the only club to worry about from Real’s perspective, though. A reunion with Spurs is a possibility. With the way his tenure ended in North London, however, you have to wonder if he’d prefer a new challenge in Madrid if given the choice.