Former Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says the club needs to stick with Zinedine Zidane even if they do not win any major honours this season.
The popular Italian spent two season in the dugout at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the Frenchman as his assistant in his first campaign.
Together, they guided the team to success the the Copa del Rey and Champions League in 2014 but Ancelotti was sacked last summer after missing out on honours in his second season.
Real are nine points off the pace in the league at the moment and host Atletico de Madrid tomorrow night at home. Defeat to their city rivals would almost certainly mean another season without domestic league success and leave them with just the Champions League as their only hope of silverware.
Los Blancos hold a 2-0 lead over Roma in the last-16 and take on the Italians in the second leg in two weeks time.
Speaking to Sina Sports, Ancelotti, who will take charge of Bayern Munich next season, said: “Regardless of how things turn out come the end of the campaign, Zidane should remain as coach next season. The Champions League isn’t easy; it requires a huge amount of effort and a high degree of focus, and you have very little room for error. You also need a bit of luck.”
He also predicted success for Real in the derby, saying: “There’s no doubt that the derby will be a battle. I think that Madrid will win at the Bernabeu, but it won’t be easy.”
