Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane was among those present at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium when Los Blancos crushed Manchester City 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie.
Zidane’s presence at the Bernabéu sparked numerous questions about a possible return to the Bernabéu as manager, especially given the rumors that he is Florentino Pérez’s dream candidate to succeed Álvaro Arbeloa next season.
After the match, several journalists stopped Zidane to ask about Fede Valverde’s hat-trick. He responded, “I’m proud of what Valverde did. I’m very happy for him.”
When pressed further about the possibility of a Real Madrid return, Zidane simply laughed and said, “There’s nothing to it, absolutely nothing.”
It was previously reported by the media that Zidane had an agreement with the French Football Federation to coach the French national team after Didier Deschamps’ departure at the end of the 2026 World Cup.
Following Arbeloa’s victory over Manchester City, his chances of remaining with Real Madrid next season have increased. Meanwhile, Florentino Pérez’s management is considering all possible options, including Unai Emery and Mauricio Pochettino.
