Official: Zinedine Zidane returns to Real Madrid coaching post

Santiago Solari’s four-month tenure as Real Madrid coach came to an end this evening after the club’s board of directors decided a change was needed in the managerial position following a woeful week of results in which the team were dumped out of the Copa del Rey, Champions League and have found themselves out of the running in LaLiga. Zinedine Zidane returns to the Real Madrid coaching post – the job he left in May last year, just five days after guiding the team to their third consecutive Champions League title. Zidane takes over in what will be his second spell as Real Madrid coach, and will sign a contract tying him to the club until June2022.

Real Madrid confirm Zidane's return as coach

Real Madrid released a statement to confirm Zidane's appointment shortly before 18:30 hours. The club explained that the board had decided to rescind Solari's contract but have offered the Argentinean the opportunity to remain at the club in a different function - presumably giving him the chance to return the youth academy where he held several coaching posts, most recently with Real Madrid Castilla until he replaced Julen Lopetegui in November last year. Real Madrid thanked Solari "for his work, commitment and the loyalty that he has always displayed towards the club".

Solari, who had no previous experience coaching a top flight team when he replaced Lopetegui at the end of last year, was the last of 14 coaches who have been employed at Real Madrid under both of Florentino Pérez's spells as president. He lasted just 131 days in the job - six days less than his predecessor, Lopetegui. Zidane is the only coach to have returned to the post in that time.

Zidane until 2022

Zidane will take over the remainder of this season and the following three seasons, until 2022. The players were notified about Zidane's return this morning when rumours started to circulate in the Spanish press. Florentino Pérez and Zidane will hold a press conference at the Santiago Bernabéu at 20:00 hours CET. Zidane will take the squad through his first training session back in the job tomorrow morning and will oversee the remainign 11 league games of the season, in which Madrid's objective is to secure second place.