Juventus 'make Zinedine Zidane their main target with Andrea Pirlo nearing the sack'

Juventus ‘make Zinedine Zidane their main target with Andrea Pirlo nearing the sack’ after dismal campaign that sees Italian giants 10 points off the pace in Serie A… with Frenchman’s future at Real Madrid up in the air

  • Andrea Pirlo has endured a tough debut campaign as manager of Juventus
  • Juve are 10 points off the top in Serie A while they have crashed out of Europe 
  • Pirlo’s future is in serious doubt as they get set to relinquish their Serie A crown
  • Zinedine Zidane enjoyed five great years as a player at Juve between 1996-2001

Juventus are reportedly considering an approach for Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane with Andrea Pirlo’s position as manager under serious threat.

Juve have endured an extremely difficult season, sitting 10 points off Serie A leaders Inter Milan with just 11 matches remaining while they recently crashed out at the last-16 stage of the Champions League.

The Italian giants are set to relinquish their Serie A crown, and it was recently reported that Pirlo has just one match left to save his job after a shock defeat to Benevento last weekend.

Andrea Pirlo's position as Juventus boss is under increasing threat following a tough campaign

Andrea Pirlo’s position as Juventus boss is under increasing threat following a tough campaign

And according to AS, the Old Lady have made Zidane their priority target to replace Pirlo as they look to take advantage over the uncertainty of the Frenchman’s future at Madrid.

Question marks are lingering over Zidane’s position in the Spanish capital following an inconsistent season – which sees them positioned third in LaLiga, six points off leaders Atletico with 10 matches left. 

Zidane enjoyed five successful seasons as a player for Juventus between 1996 to 2001, featuring 212 times for the club as he won two Serie A titles.

But Juve will reportedly face competition for Zidane’s signature, with AS also claiming that France are eyeing him as Didier Deschamps’ successor.

The Italian giants will target Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane if they sack Pirlo

The Italian giants will target Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane if they sack Pirlo

Zidane enjoyed five successful seasons as a player with Juventus, winning Serie A twice

Zidane enjoyed five successful seasons as a player with Juventus, winning Serie A twice

Zidane’s contract as manager of Madrid expires next summer, and he didn’t rule out the possibility of leaving in a recent press conference.

The Frenchman said: ‘I don’t look any further than the day to day. I don’t plan anything.’

Meanwhile, despite talk that Pirlo could soon be axed as Juventus boss, vice-president Pavel Nedved insisted the under-fire manager – alongside Cristiano Ronaldo – will be at the club next season.

Reports in Spain have recently linked Ronaldo with a sensational return to Real Madrid this summer.

Juventus are 10 points adrift of Serie A leaders Inter Milan with just 11 matches remaining

Juventus are 10 points adrift of Serie A leaders Inter Milan with just 11 matches remaining

When speaking about Pirlo’s future, Nedved insisted the club’s former player still retains the full faith of the board.

‘Pirlo is and will be the Juventus coach, that’s 100 per cent sure,’ Nedved told DAZN.

‘We have begun a new project with him, knowing we would face difficulties. We wanted to do something more, but we could not manage to do so.

‘We are calm, Pirlo has everything to become a great coach.’

source: dailymail.co.uk