Currently at Real Madrid, things seem to be slowly settling down after a troublesome period that saw the club part ways with Xabi Alonso. Alvaro Arbeloa has already been appointed as the new caretaker manager of Los Blancos. It’s needless to say that the Spaniard has a lot on his plate at the moment and will have to deliver results to win the fans' trust.
Nevertheless, Arbeloa seems to be only a temporary solution. In fact, Madrid are expected to bring in a more experienced coach to permanently replace Alonso after the season ends.
A number of candidates, including former Los Blancos coaches, are being linked with the job. Unsurprisingly, Zinedine Zidane is among them, given his track record with the Merengues.
However, it looks like fans will be disappointed if they were hoping for the Frenchman to return to the Estadio Bernabeu dugout next season, as reports have emerged suggesting that Zidane is likely to take another job instead.
According to L'Equipe (via Madrid Zone), France have started proceedings to hire Zidane as their national team manager following this year’s World Cup.
Real Madrid managerial candidate set to take another job
Zidane made history with Real Madrid, winning three consecutive Champions League titles as their manager. Fans also have fond memories of him from his time as a Los Blancos player.
Moreover, the 53-year-old took over during a crisis, similar to the one Los Blancos are currently facing, and quickly turned things around. So he is already an established figure at Real and also a fan favourite.
As a result, this development certainly comes as a disappointment, as having Zidane manage this young Real Madrid squad would have seemed like the ideal solution to bring the best out of them. But it seems that won’t be the case.
Anyway, Real Madrid will need to find someone else for the job if they truly want a new manager next season.
For now, though, the pressure will be on Arbeloa to lead this team through this rough stretch. He is already familiar with the club’s ways, but it remains to be seen whether his ideas translate onto the field. And who knows? Maybe he’ll convince the board to secure a long-term stay.
Arbeloa certainly didn’t get off to a dream start, as Madrid lost to Segunda Division outfit Albacete in the Copa del Rey in his first game as manager, after an unconvincing performance. Anyway, the Los Blancos are set to face Levante next and will be looking to secure a win at all costs.