Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 6y

Germany's Joachim Low rules himself out of Real Madrid running

Germany national team manager Joachim Low has denied any interest in filling the new vacancy at Real Madrid.

Marca claimed that Madrid president Florentino Perez had made initial contact with Low immediately after Zinedine Zidane's snap exit to ask of his availability.

Asked about that possibility ahead of his country's World Cup 2018 warm-up friendly against Austria on Saturday, the 58-year-old said he had no interest at all in the job and was solely focused on preparing for his side's defence of their World Cup trophy in Russia over the coming weeks.

"You can rule me out completely," Low said. "For me it is not an issue, I am focused now on the World Cup. For sure Real Madrid will find a good replacement."

Zidane surprised everyone at the Bernabeu by leaving just days after winning a third consecutive Champions League, Low was immediately mentioned in local media speculation, along with frontrunner Mauricio Pochettino of Tottenham, ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and outgoing Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.

Low has long been seen as one of Perez's favourite candidates to take the job at some point, with his reputation enhanced by Germany's World Cup success in 2014, despite his limited experience of club football with Stuttgart, Fenerbahce and most recently Austria Vienna in 2004.

Meanwhile, Low also said at his news conference on Friday that Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will make his return from injury in the upcoming friendly against Austria, though he won't risk Mats Hummels or Thomas Muller.

"Everything has gone to plan with Manuel Neuer," Low said. "He took part in every training session and hasn't experienced any problems. I'm planning for him to start in goal.

"Mats Hummels and Thomas Muller have had a lot of games with us, we know what to expect, which is why we're leaving them behind for the Austria game.

"Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Ilkay Gundogan didn't play much towards the end of their domestic campaigns and need to find their rhythm. This is a chance for them."

Germany's national team manager Oliver Bierhoff said a day earlier that Neuer would be Germany's No. 1 at the World Cup if he makes the final squad, which will be announced on Monday.

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