5 managers who could replace Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid
Let us face it - Zidane was supposed to be Real's Guardiola. That is clearly not the case. While it would be quite harsh to sack Zidane after he has led Los Blancos to two UEFA Champions League crowns apart from the La Liga last season, Real Madrid have sacked managers for much less.
Though it looks like Zizou might still be given more time to get back to winning ways, Madrid seem a bit bland this season compared their usually boisterous nature. Zidane, therefore, is most likely to be sacked.
It is probably the goodwill he enjoys that has allowed his tenure to be given even the length of time it has already enjoyed, especially after Barcelona have increased their points tally to eight points over Real Madrid.
Real Madrid are four points behind second-placed Valencia after having lost to newly promoted Girona last weekend. It is only natural to expect a difficult and temporary downward phase after an intense couple of seasons and that is perhaps what the Bernabeu based giants find themselves in, but the club and it's chairman have never been known for their patience.
It is not unreasonable to see club Legend Zidane walking out of the dugout soon and with rumours of apparent discontent with Cristiano Ronaldo hitting the spotlight, matters can only get worse.
So, we take a look at 5 candidates who could replace the beleaguered Zidane at Real Madrid, if the Frenchman is actually sacked in the near future:
#5 Carlo Ancelotti
Agreed that Bayern's squad did not feel comfortable with the Italian's methods, but Ancelotti achieved much success with Real Madrid just two seasons ago. Given the fact that he was sacked when almost nobody other the Fiorentino Perez wanted him to leave, he would be welcomed back with open arms.
Ancelotti might also enjoy returning to a squad where he felt appreciated and with more than enough resources and opportunities to challenge at the top. However, Ancelotti's contract with Bayern is technically still active till the end of the season, so he must be compensated.
It is questionable whether Perez would be able to lure Ancelotti just two years after he sacked him unceremoniously. If the Italian legend were to go back to Spain, he would need assurances of better treatment this time around. He might want to add the La Liga trophy to his collection of trophies as well.
Another potential hurdle to Ancelotti's return to Madrid is his interest in returning to England or Italy. He has been touted as a replacement for AC Milan boss Vincenzo Montella, and could be more interested in returning to the club where he is still revered as a legend.
All in all, this one looks unlikely, but with a shortage of quality coaches available in the market and Real Madrid's penchant for hiring big-name managers - one can never say never!