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What's the rumour?
According to the Sun, Real Madrid stars want Zinedine Zidane back as their head coach only months after he quit.
Antonio Conte was initially being lined up as Julen Lopetegui's replacement, but Los Blancos players have thwarted the plans. If the report as mentioned earlier is to be believed, they believe that Conte's appointment would further disrupt a fractious dressing room.
In case you didn't know...
Julen Lopetegui was sacked by Real Madrid a few hours ago only 138 days into the job that also cost him his chance to manage the Spain national team at the World Cup 2018. The announcement was made in the wake of their 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Barcelona on Sunday.
Santiago Solari, the Madrid Castilla coach, has been appointed as Real Madrid's interim manager as the search goes on for a new manager.
The heart of the matter
Zinedine Zidane stepped down from his managerial post this past summer after inspiring Real Madrid to three Champions League titles and a La Liga trophy.
Owing to his successful reign at the club, he is not only a popular figure among fans but also among the players as the Frenchman is known for the efficient management of the dressing room atmosphere. As a result, the news is hardly a surprise bearing in mind Real Madrid's torrid run so far in the season.
Rumour probability: 4/10
As per numerous reports, Zidane is currently eyeing a high-profile Premier League job and would be evidently reluctant to make a shock return to Santiago Bernabeu. However, if he does, it would be like manna from heaven for the Spanish giants.
What's next?
As things stand, Solari will be at the helm of Real Madrid for now, whose future entirely pivots on the results he can churn out in the next few weeks.
