Zidane quits Real Madrid for second time as head coach

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Real Madrid have confirmed that Zinedine Zidane has stepped down as the club’s head coach for the second time.

The Frenchman has called time on his second spell in charge of the La Liga club, which he has led to two league titles and three Champions League victories since 2015.

Zidane told club directors and the first-team squad of his decision on Wednesday and finalised his exit at Real’s Valdebebas training complex a day later.

His departure comes after Real narrowly lost out on the league title to city rivals Atletico Madrid at the weekend.

Real finished second in La Liga, two points behind Atletico, and were knocked out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage by English side Chelsea and the Copa del Rey in the round of 32 to end the season without a trophy for the first time in 11 years.

Zidane, 48, won three consecutive Champions League titles in his first period in charge between 2016 and 2018.

He returned to a club in disarray 10 months later and secured a second La Liga title as manager last season.

Earlier this month, Zidane, who had a year left on his contract, denied reports that he had informed his squad he would leave at the end of the season.

His future was a constant topic of discussion in the Spanish press all season, contributing to several spiky exchanges with the former France forward saying he and his players deserved more respect.

He is the only manager to win the Champions League three times, and his trophy haul at Real includes another La Liga title, two Club World Cups, two Uefa Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups.

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