Upset Zidane fires warning

Terrassa (Barcelona), November 14: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is upset with the mounting speculation surrounding his job and has reportedly sent a warning message to the club president Florentino Perez that he could leave the Spanish giants this summer.

With Real stumbling in the La Liga and Champions League, Zidane has seen his future questioned -- and he is understandably unhappy with the rumours now emerging.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino and Germany coach Joachim Loew are both rumoured to be Zidane's potential successors and the Frenchman is well aware of the reports.

Spanish website Diario Gol says the World Cup winner -- via representatives -- has made it clear to Perez that he has options to leave.

Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain are the frontrunners to rope in Zidane while France national duty is also doing the rounds in recent weeks.

Though, he penned a new deal this season (the terms of which have not been revealed yet), Zizou has made it clear to Perez he has other alternatives.

Zidane will have to deal with a lot of pressure in the coming weeks with injury worries to key players and a frantic return to competitive action, beginning with the battle in an away match Atletico of Madrid on Saturday (November 18).

Zidane’s rivals Barcelona had seen this opportunity and the Catalans are taking even the slightest of advantage to increase their margin over their opponents. Lionel Messi provided an example by abandoning the call for Argentinian national duty to prepare against even a smaller side Leganes.

Messi knows that this is the year of the World Cup and the sooner the work is done, the better will he be able to prepare for the World Cup.

In Madrid, however, they have many more immediate priorities. Soon they have to play the FIFA Club World Cup which will be held from December 6 to 16 in the UAE. And the pressure is falling on Zidane. The French coach is questioned by his approach, for being too predictable.

The 1998 World Cup winner does not mind criticism but what affects him is that distrust at the top echelons of Santiago Bernabeu.

Although, France recently renewed the contract with Didier Deschamps, until 2020, a change is on the cards if Zidane accepts an offer.

The change will also depend to a large extent on the success of the France team in the World Cup.