Zidane 'informs players' that he will leave Madrid at the end of the season
Football
By
Mirror
| May 16, 2021
Zinedine Zidane has told his Real Madrid players that he will be leaving at the end of the season.
The Frenchman's contract in the Spanish capital is up at the end of the year and doubt has circulated around his future for months.
Zidane returned in 2019 for a second spell in charge having enjoyed huge success in his earlier stint.
But this time round he has been unable to replicate the results despite still having the chance to seal successive La Liga titles.
Zidane has twice seen Madrid knocked out of the Champions League to Manchester City and Chelsea respectively.
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Los Blancos are in something of a transitional phase with several key players leaving and others coming into the latter stages of their careers and Zidane has told his players of his future plans, reports Goal.
Zidane had addressed speculation around his future and claimed change is sometimes necessary.
"You talk about me leaving in 2006 and 2018 and it's like you think I leave because I'm shirking responsibility or that I quit when things get tough," he said in a press conference.
"It's not, the only thing about me is that what I do, I do to the end, and then there comes a time when it's the moment to change.
"For everyone, not just for me. For the club, for the good of the club, for the people.
"I don't leave because it's easy. It's not like I turn away and don't look back.
"No, there are moments when you have to be there and there are moments when that's it, it's finished, it's time to change. But for the good of everyone, not just for me."
Madrid will play Athletic Bilbao on Sunday evening in what is their penultimate game of the season with Atletico Madrid enjoying a two-point cushion at the top.
They then host Villarreal in their final game.