Football
Alex KirklandRodrigo Faez 3y

Zidane refuses to commit to Real Madrid: I don't know what will happen in summer

Zinedine Zidane has again refused to commit his future to Real Madrid despite winning the Clasico against Barcelona and knocking Liverpool out of the Champions League in a week.

Zidane, who has a contract at the Bernabeu until 2022, has faced repeated questioning about his future plans after an up-and-down season which has seen Madrid recover from multiple setbacks to find themselves second in La Liga, a point off leaders Atletico Madrid, and in the Champions League semifinals.

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"I don't know what will happen," Zidane said in a news conference on Saturday when asked if newly re-elected president Florentino Perez would like to renew his deal.

"You can have a four or five-year contract and leave tomorrow. Or the opposite, your contract finishes but you end up staying. It doesn't mean anything. I'm happy."

The 48-year-old previously walked away from the Madrid job in 2018, after winning three consecutive Champions Leagues, only to return nine months later.

The team won the league last year and now stand a chance of going one better and winning a double, if they can overhaul Atletico and defeat Chelsea and then either Paris Saint-Germain or Manchester City in Europe.

It is a contrast to their early season form when Zidane's position came under threat after Madrid were knocked out of both the Spanish Supercopa and Copa del Rey in the same week in January.

"I don't look at the future, ever," Zidane said. "I didn't when you talked about getting rid of Zidane, either. It's the day-to-day here, I don't know what will happen in three months or a year."

He added: "We've never doubted the work we've done. Difficulties make us stronger. It's true I'm lucky to be here coaching this great club.

"I don't think I'm a disaster of a coach. I'm not the best either, that's for sure, but I like what I'm doing. I'd like to talk more about football, but it seems there's more interest in other things."

Madrid travel to Getafe in La Liga on Sunday night with Zidane facing a selection headache in defence.

Captain Sergio Ramos is sidelined with a calf injury as well as a positive coronavirus diagnosis, while Raphael Varane has also tested positive. Nacho is suspended which leaves Eder Militao as the only available senior centre-back.

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