Real Madrid sack Solari but give him the chance to stay at the club
The club has rescinded Solari's contract as first team coach but given him the opportunity to return to the youth academy, perhaps to coach Castilla.
Real Madrid announced in a statement released this evening that Santiago Hernán Solari's contract as first team coach has been rescinded, in spite of the fact that back in November the Argentinean signed an agreement tying him to the club until June 2021. The club also announced that Zidane would be taking over - returning to the job he left nine months ago.
Job available for Solari at Real Madrid
The big surprise was that Solari has been offered the chance to remain employed at Real Madrid - if he decides he wants to. Solari has lived in the capital since the late 90s and his family are settled here in Madrid. In this evening's statement, the club thanked him for "his work, commitment and the loyalty that he has always displayed towards the club" and in his speech during Zidane's presentation at the Bernabéu, Florentino Pérez underlined the plan to offer Solari a position in the youth academy where he had been working well until he took up the job with the senior side. Florentino said of Solari: "He forms part of this club, he loves Real Madrid - this is his home and he has the opportunity to continue here - if he wants to..."
Possible return to Castilla
It hasn't been specified what Madrid have in mind for Solari - although the logical outcome would be for him to retake the reins of the reserves - Real Madrid Castilla. Manolo Díaz was handed the Castilla coaching post when Solari replaced Lopetegui with the first team in November.
Legally, the RFEF regulations state that a coach can only have a license with a club during the same season. Solari would maintain his license with Real Madrid, even though he would be coaching the reserves, - another team within the framework of the same club. Whether that's what Madrid are thinking - or if Solari is willing to go back to his old job, remains to be seen...