Zidane says he would have loved to replace Ancelotti as Real Madrid boss

Zinedine Zidane was the assistant coach to Carlo Ancelotti in the 2013/14 season

Zinedine Zidane has revealed that he would have accepted the job as Real Madrid manager if it was offered to him by Florentino Perez. The Real Madrid president had sacked the Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti after the 2014/15 season, as the team failed to win any major trophies.

Madrid won the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup last term but missed out on the Champions League, La Liga and the Copa del Rey. This was enough for the Italian to lose his job, even though he had delivered the Champions League and the Copa del Rey in the previous season.

Zidane had worked as the Italian's assistant in the 2013-14 season when they won their 10th European crown and tasted success in the Copa del Rey. Zidane’s appointment as the assistant coach was thought to be a move that was intended at grooming the French legend for the top job in the future.

His stock, however, began to drop after he failed to help Madrid's Castilla reserve team to promotion from third-tier last season. Perez went on to appoint Napoli manager Rafa Benitez as Ancelotti's replacement.

"I would have accepted the chance to replace Ancelotti," he said as reported by AS. "I consider myself a professional and I would not have turned down the challenge." He did, however, say that he was not disappointed at not being offered the job.

"No, seriously, no. I am not disappointed,” the 43-year-old said.

"It was considered that this was not the moment. Things happen in a natural way -- you do not need to look for them. It was not written to be like that. Perez took the decision to choose another coach, and that's that."

Zidane who is managing the Castilla team had helped the team to the top of 3rd division only to trail away as the season progressed. The side did not even feature in the playoffs and eventually missed out on promotion.

"The objective is to prepare the players for the Liga BBVA, at Madrid or elsewhere," he said. "That is the message the president gives, and the director general. To get promotion to the Liga Adelante is important, but even more so important is to develop players."