Bengaluru, April 11: Former Real Madrid and Barcelona talisman Alfonso Perez has backed Guti for a possible stint at the Real Madrid managerial position in the future. Despite taking them to consecutive UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup glory, Zinedine Zidane’s future at the helm of Real remains uncertain. Perez believes like Zidane, a former Madrid team member could take his throne, suggesting Guti as a likely contender.
In his interview with Marca, Perez said,” Guti has the ability to coach Real Madrid. He knows the club and they have to give him the same chance that they gave Zidane. They've spoken very well of him to me."
Alfonso Pérez (Former Real Madrid forward): "Guti has the ability to coach Real Madrid."
— Spectating Madrid (@Spectate_Madrid) April 9, 2018
"He knows the club and they have to give him the same chance that they gave Zidane. They've spoken very well of him to me." [@RadioMARCA] pic.twitter.com/bn5AU0qAiE
The retired Spain international, who scored 20 goals in 108 games for Los Blancos, is one of the players in the elite club of players to have played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona. However, Perez enjoyed his most successful spell in Seville for Real Betis, scoring 67 goals in 183 games before retiring at the club.
Very similar to Zidane’s rise to Real Madrid, Guti is currently at the helm of the Real Madrid Under-19s team, and he won the treble last season after guiding his Juvenil A team to victories in the Division de Honor, the Copa del Rey Juvenil and the Copa de Campeones.
Guti has enjoyed quite an illustrious career with Real Madrid in his playing days, winning five La Liga titles, a hat-trick of UEFA Champions Leagues, four Supercopa de Espana and a solitary UEFA Super Cup. Barring one season at Besiktas, Guti played exclusively for Real Madrid, rising from the youth ranks to the main squad. He made 542 appearances for the club, scoring 77 goals and assisting more than 60 goals in his 15-year spell at Madrid.
Los Blancos face Juventus in the second leg of their Quarter-Final draw with a healthy 3-0 away lead.
There has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding Zidane's position after the club fell out of the La Liga title race and even were dumped from the Copa del Rey by Leganes.
"Yes, it's a failure for me, clearly," Zidane had told Marca after the King's Cup defeat, adding his job was on the line this season.