Zinedine Zidane Comments on Real Madrid Job Amid Rafa Benitez Sack Rumours

Legendary Real Madrid midfielder Zinedine Zidane has insisted he is not yet ready to become the Blancos manager with pressure mounting on the role’s incumbent, Rafael Benitez.

Mundo Deportivo (h/t Football Espana) claimed ahead of Saturday’s clash with Barcelona that if Real Madrid lost the match, Benitez would be axed and Zidane would be asked to take over.

Speculation has raged in the aftermath of the Blaugrana’s 4-0 win, but the Frenchman, who coaches Real Madrid Castilla, has insisted he doesn’t want to step up into the big job yet and that he didn't remain at the club this summer in the hope of landing it, per Ben Grounds of the MailOnline:

"

I am coach of Castilla and Benitez of the first team. Things are fine at the moment. 'I am with Castilla and if I stay at the club it is the coach of Castilla. I am doing things little by little and I am in no rush. The important thing is to be happy day-to-day with what I am doing. Right now I'm at Castilla. ...

I stayed because of Castilla. Last year, at the end of the season, I had the feeling that I still lacked something to take over the first team. I finished up feeling that there was something missing. I am quite stubborn when I don't meet an objective. 

I have a long way to go, and anyway a manager is never really fully formed. My current job is with Castilla and I am going to continue with it.

"

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Indeed, as noted by Football Espana, it’s thought Real Madrid see Zidane as a possible manager for Los Blancos, with the club apparently aiming to replicate Pep Guardiola’s ascension through the ranks at Barcelona. There may be a clamour to usher him in quickly in the wake of the Clasico result, though.

Benitez abandoned his usually stringent pragmatic principles in favour of a very attacking team and paid the price. Barcelona exploited the space left by the hosts to great effect throughout the match, with a brace from Luis Suarez, a goal from Neymar and another from Andres Iniesta giving the Blaugrana a famous win.

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As Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague noted during the game, the lineup seemed to indicate Benitez's decisions had been influenced by those in positions of power at the Santiago Bernabeu:

The players are reportedly losing faith in their manager too, having coined a nickname for him, "No. 10," in a dig at the fact Benitez never played football at a high level, per Marca. It’s also noted in the piece the Real Madrid stars are often left bemused by the tactical instructions the manager looks to pass on.

Sports journalist Rafael Hernandez has some sympathy for Benitez, suggesting the Real Madrid players have abandoned ship:

If that is indeed the case, there seems to be no way back for the former Liverpool and Chelsea manager. Still, Zidane would be a huge gamble as replacement.

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Not only is he untried at the top level as a manager, the Frenchman himself notes there is still a lot for him to learn. Throwing him into a dressing room that is reportedly poisonous would be unfair for someone who is untested too, especially given the other unique pressures that accompany being the Blancos boss.

If Real do foresee Zidane as being able to do a Guardiola-esque job further down the line, they need to protect and nurture him. Benitez may well get the chop, as heavy Clasico defeats rarely go without consequences in the Spanish capital, but throwing Zidane in at the deep end could scar him as a coach and scupper Real’s best chance for some overdue stability in years to come.