Madrid board angry with Zidane's rest day decision ahead of Sevilla clash
Following the PSG disaster and with Sevilla this weekend, Madrid's directors are reportedly at pains to understand Zidane's decision to give the players a rest day on Thursday.
Real Madrid’s board are reportedly angry about Zinedine Zidane’s decision to give his players a day off on Thursday following their humiliating defeat to PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, only the players who played no part in Wednesday’s game, including those who are currently recovering from injury, were summoned to Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground, while the rest were given the day to rest.
However, according to Mundo Deportivo, Florentino Perez and the club’s directors are at pains to understand why the French coach decided to give the players a rest day on Thursday in light of the disaster that occurred in Paris the previous evening and particularly with the difficult trip to face LaLiga leaders Sevilla on Sunday.
Following the 3-0 defeat at PSG, talk of the possibility of Zidane’s dismissal has intensified, with Mundo Deportivo also reporting this Thursday that Pérez is eyeing up former player Xabi Alonso, who left a coaching role at Madrid’s academy to take over Real Sociedad B in July, as the Frenchman's replacement.
Crunch tie for Zidane in Sevilla
Zidane will be under immense pressure to secure a positive result against Sevilla this weekend, which will be by no means an easy task. Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui has put together a solid outfit this season who have conceded just one goal in five games in all competitions to date, while Zidane’s Madrid have conceded nine goals over the same number of fixtures.
And the decision to leave just two days to prepare for such an important encounter has apparently not go down well with Madrid’s top brass, amongst whom questions will likely be raised about the viability of Zidane’s position should his side lose at the Pizjuán on Sunday.