Baku-APA. Real Madrid has fired coach Rafa Benitez after seven months and replaced him with former player Zinedine Zidane, APA reports quoting Associated Press.
Madrid president Florentino Perez called an emergency board meeting on Monday after which it was confirmed Benitez had been dismissed and Zidane drafted in.
Speaking at a media conference to announce the news, Perez said: "I am here to say that the board has just decided, in a difficult decision, especially for me, to end contract of Rafa as first-team coach. I would like to make it clear that he is a great professional.
"Zinedine Zidane knows better than anyone what it is like to stand at the front and lead Real Madrid. Throughout his career he has always been able to face up to huge challenges.
"He is one of the greatest players of all time. Zinedine, this is your club, your stadium and you have all our support. Zidane you are, from this moment, the trainer of Real Madrid."
Club president Florentino Perez announced the decision at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Monday, a day after Madrid's 2-2 draw at Valencia deepened a crisis that started with an embarrassing 4-0 home loss to rival Barcelona in November.
Madrid won seven of nine matches since that demoralizing defeat but fans continued to demand the departure of Benitez, whose Liverpool side won the Champions League in 2005.
Real Madrid is third in the Spanish league, four points behind leader Atletico Madrid and two behind Barcelona.
France soccer great Zidane, who was Carlo Ancelotti's assistant in 2014 when Real Madrid won the Champions League, has been coaching Madrid's "B'' team in the third division.
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Baku-APA. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has called a news conference amid reports that coach Rafa Benitez has been fired and replaced by former player Zinedine Zidane, APA reports quoting Associated Press.
Monday's news conference at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium comes a day after a 2-2 draw at Valencia kept Madrid from moving closer to Barcelona and leader Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league.
Benitez, hired seven months ago, has been under pressure since a demoralizing 4-0 home loss to Barcelona in November. The team won seven of nine matches since the defeat at the Bernabeu, but fans continued to call for Benitez's departure.
Zidane, who was Carlo Ancelotti's assistant in 2014 when Madrid won the Champions League, has been coaching Madrid's "B'' team in the third division.
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