Zinedine Zidane has made a shock return as Real Madrid manager, just 10 months after leaving the club following his third Champions League success in two and a half years.
They say you should never go back but it's taken Zinedine Zidane less than a year to heed that advice with the shock news that the Frenchman has become the Real Madrid manager for the second time.
A statement on the official website reads:
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"The Board of Directors of Real Madrid, meeting today, Monday, March 11, 2019, has decided to terminate the contract that linked Santiago Solari with the club as coach of the first team and, at the same time, Real Madrid has offered to continue belonging to the club.
"Real Madrid appreciates the work done by Santiago Solari and the commitment and loyalty he has always shown to this house.
"The Board of Directors has also agreed the appointment of Zinedine Zidane as the new coach of Real Madrid with immediate incorporation for the remainder of the season and the next three, until June 30, 2022.
"The president of Real Madrid will appear today with Zinedine Zidane before the media at 8:00 pm in the press room of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium."
Zidane spent two and a half years at the helm at the Bernabeu and achieved the incredible record of winning the Champions League three times in a row, when it had never previously been won back-to-back.
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At the end of last season he decided to call it a day, walking away from Los Blancos. In farcical circumstances he was replaced by then Spain manager Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the World Cup but Lopetegui lasted less than five months.
Since the end of October Santiago Solari has been in charge but the former Real midfielder oversaw three home defeats in a row last week, two against Barcelona and one against Ajax, to see them knocked out of the Copa del Rey and Champions League and virtually out of La Liga contention.
There had been talk of Solari being sacked but as it didn't happen straight away it seemed the Spaniard would stay till the end of the season.
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On Monday though rumours started escalating that Zizou would make an incredible return, taking over once again on Tuesday morning and by the evening Solari was out and replaced by his former teammate.
In two and a half years in charge of Los Blancos, after taking over from Rafa Benitez. Zidane won the Champions League three times, La Liga once and two FIFA Club World Cups.
He had been linked with a move to Juventus, which might be why Real have moved so incisively, whilst Jose Mourinho was amongst the names to be linked with the Spanish side.
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After leaving the Frenchman was followed by Cristiano Ronaldo and things have gone badly in the Spanish capital since.
Real sit in third place in La Liga, five points behind second place Atletico and 12 behind leaders Barcelona, and are out of the Copa del Rey and Champions League.
Now seems like a crazy time for Zidane to return, such a short time after leaving, but rarely do things make sense when it comes to Real and managers.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Transfer stories, Managers, Transfer rumours, Santiago Solari, Zinedine Zidane, Transfer news, Champions League, Julen Lopetegui, Spanish football, Real Madrid, La Liga
