Zinedine Zidane has been banned for coaching Real Madrid Castilla for three months after taking charge of the team without the right qualifications, it has been confirmed.
The legendary former player, who scored a sensational goal for Los Blancos to lift the Champions League in 2002, only took charge of Madrid’s second-string outfit in the summer. Last season, he worked alongside Carlo Ancelotti as Real won the Champions League for the 10th time in their history, and the Copa del Rey.
Soon after taking up his current role, the club received complaints about Zidane’s qualifications. He holds the Uefa A licence – equivalent to the Level 2 badges in Spain, but needed the Level 3 badges to coach in the second tier of Spanish football.
Zidane’s assistant, Santiago Sanchez, has also been banned for the same time period. The LFP said Sanchez, used his qualifications to shield Zidane.
The World Cup-winning playmaker, who scored twice in the 1998 final, must now get his qualifications up to date by April to avoid further sanctions.
Upon having the ban confirmed, Real Madrid released a statement saying the would fight the ban and explore every legal option open to them.
The statement read: “In response to the sanction handed down by the Competition Committee to the Real Madrid Castilla’s head coach and second coach, Santiago Sánchez and Zinedine Zidane respectively, Real Madrid C. F. would like to outline the following:
“1. The club’s absolute disagreement with the decision, not least of all because Zinedine Zidane has been authorised by the French Football Federation to work as a head coach in the category Real Madrid Castilla currently find themselves in, as the certificate issued by said Federation from 13 October 2014 states.
“2. Real Madrid will pursue every available legal avenue so that this decision is overturned.”
