Zidane would not be the first Real manager to lead and come back again. Alfredo di Stefano, an even greater Real player than Zidane, had two goes at it. And so did John Toshack, who won the 1989-90 Liga title the first time around, but could not repeat that success a decade later. Fabio Capello won a Liga title both times he managed at the Santiago Bernabéu, but left to manage England in 2007, having returned to AC Milan in 1997.
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Preamble
If it seems like yesterday that Zizou stepped down after winning a third Champions League title in three years, that’s because it practically is. The look of bemusement and bereavement on Florentino Pérez as the news was announced proved prescient; Real have been a total mess since that day in late May. Remember Julen Lopetegui and all the fuss that caused for Spain’s World Cup? And how about Santiago Solari? He has proved no Ole Gunnar Solskjær. The big man is back, to paraphrase Wayne Rooney. And José Mourinho, constantly linked with the gig since he was sacked by Manchester United, may now have to start learning Chinese or Russian, or at least dust off that rusty Italian of his. And Gareth Bale will probably needs to get used to playing golf in chillier climes than his back-garden three-holer.
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