Perez: Zidane will be future Madrid coach

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has backed under-fire boss Rafael Benitez but is certain Zinedine Zidane will be coach in the future.

Benitez is facing an uncertain future at Madrid after the club were beaten 1-0 by Villarreal last week, their third La Liga defeat in five matches.

There have also been reports Benitez has lost the dressing room, but Perez insisted the Spaniard has the club’s backing, despite suggestions Zidane could make the step up from Castilla, Madrid’s B team.

“It’s not true that the players don’t get along with Benitez,” Perez told El Larguero. “I have spoken with them.

“[Benitez] is not the problem, he’s the solution. Zinedine will not replace him. He is the trainer of Madrid and we picked him because we think he’s the ideal person for the job.

“We need to give Benitez time and let him do his job.”

Of Zidane, Perez added: “What can I say about him. They still give me thanks in the streets for signing him.

“He will be the trainer of Madrid in the future. You can see it. He has learned in heaps and bounds.”