Zidane slams Real Madrid president for lack of humanity and respect

Now we know why Zinedine Zidane decided to leave Real Madrid – again. When he left the club's dugout for the first time in 2018, he felt that the team needed a new boss. That time he'd won both La Liga and the Champions League, and he left like a winner. This time, things are different.

Zidane's open letter has been published by Spanish newspaper AS, causing a stir among football fans in the country and Europe because it's not very often that a coach publicly puts the blame on one of the game's most powerful men like Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

"I have now decided to leave and I want to explain the reasons properly. I'm going, but I'm not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching. In May 2018 I left because after two and a half years, with so many victories and so many trophies, I felt the team needed a new approach to stay at the very highest level. Right now, things are different."

Zi-done: You only live twice in Madrid

Then came the sentence that will ring loudly among the Real Madrid faithful.

"I'm leaving because I feel the club no longer has faith in me nor the support to build something in the medium or long term."

The now-former coach of Los Blancos explained that he understands the demands of the club and is aware that modern football doesn't allow people to stay in their jobs if the results aren't satisfactory. But the club president and the other people in charge failed to treat those who work for the club as human beings. It's what really hurt Zizou.

"I'm a natural-born winner and I was here to win trophies, but even more important than this are the people, their feelings, life itself and I have the sensation these things have not been taken into account, that there has been a failure to understand that these things also keep the dynamics of a great club going. To some extent I have even been rebuked for it."

Zidane also accused Perez of leaking rumours to the press, causing the papers to publish stories about the Frenchman's job being insecure.

"It hurt me so much when I read in the press, after a defeat, that I would be sacked if I didn't win the next game. It hurt me and the whole team because these deliberately leaked messages to the media negatively influenced the squad, they created doubts and misunderstandings."

The 1998 World Cup winner praised Real players for being loyal to him and working tirelessly to achieve the club's goals and that he believed the fans would recognise that despite the lack of trophies in the season that's just finished.

In the end, it was mistrust and intrigue that drove Zinedine Zidane out of Madrid. The media love a juicy story, of course, but Zizou had to remind the Spanish journalists that it's football they should be focusing on the most.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to send a message to the journalists. I've given hundreds of press conferences and unfortunately, we have spoken very little of football, though I know that you love football, this sport that brings us together. However, and without any desire to criticise or lecture, I would have liked the questions not to have always been about controversies. We might have talked more often about the game and above all the players, who will always be the most important thing in this sport. Let's not forget about football, let's care for it."

We care about fans, says a man fans despise

Even though he was shown a lack of respect in his last year at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Zidane still has a lot of love for the club where he'd won everything both as a player and as a coach.

"Dear Real Madrid fans, I will always be one of you."

What would Florentino Perez say after being put under the spotlight by his former employee?