Real Madrid appointed Zinedine Zidane as its new manager Monday, banking on a legendary player to bring his on-field success into his first major coaching job.
Zidane was unveiled as Real’s ninth manager in the past 10 years just hours after the club decided it’d had enough of the eighth, Rafa Benitez, following a meeting of the club’s board.
Benitez was tabbed to coach Real just seven months ago, but fans were critical of the move from the moment he was hired to replace Carlo Ancelotti last summer.
Benitez’s methodical, defensive-oriented philosophy didn’t sit well with a fanbase that demands fireworks at all times. Even as Real has scored more goals than any other club in Spain’s La Liga this season — 47 in 18 games—Benitez never shook that criticism.
The club's president, Florentino Pérez, revealed the appointment at a press conference held at the Santiago Bernabéu otoday following the conclusion of the meeting of the club's Board of Directors:
"Good evening, first of all thank you to everyone for being here at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. I appear before you to announce the agreements just reached by the Board of Directors of Real Madrid. Today we have made the difficult decision, particularly for me, to terminate the contract of Rafa Benítez as first-team coach.
I wish to underline that he is a great professional and a magnificent person, and I would like to take this opportunity to place on record my gratitude to him for his hard work and dedication during his months as coach of Real Madrid".
I would also like to announce that the Real Madrid Board of Directors have decided to name Zinedine Zidane as the new coach of the first team. There can be no doubt that Zidane is one of the game's all-time great figures. He knows better than anyone just what it means to lead the Real Madrid first-team squad. He's fully aware of how tough and at the same time how exciting this demanding position is. Furthermore, Zidane knows the players, as many of them lifted the club's tenth European Cup in Lisbon with him as assistant coach".
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