Zinedine Zidane has announced that he is leaving Real Madrid less than a week. Despite clinching a third successive European title just five days ago, the Frenchman's tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu is at an end.
The club revealed on Thursday that Zidane was to appear in a hastily arranged news conference that caught many by surprise, fuelling speculation that his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu could be coming to an end.
Zidane confirmed his departure at the start of the news briefing, just five days after he presided over the 3-1 Champions League final win over Liverpool.
"It's time to go. These players need a different discourse, a different methodology," the Frenchman said.
Such success, which he also managed in each of his first two seasons in charge of the team, has not been enough to persuade him to prolong his spell.
The 45-year-old was believed to be under contract with Real until 2020 but a poor campaign in the league appears to have ended his fairytale at the club where he played as a midfielder for five years.
Madrid's third-place LaLiga finish is likely the major factor in Zidane's departure, as Los Blancos ended the season 17 points adrift of bitter rivals and champions Barcelona.
He did, however, confirm that he was not pushed out of the door.
"It's my decision," he said. "For many people, this will not make sense, but it does for me. It's time for a change," he confirmed.
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