Former Real Madrid president, Ramon Calderon claims that “dressing room leaders” at Real Madrid rejected Jose Mourinho’s return to the Bernabeu in favour of Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane has returned to the club to replace the sacked Santiago Solari – just nine months after leaving, after a successful spell that earned him three successive Champions League titles.
It was gathered that Mourinho was the club’s top target after he left Manchester United back in December, but Calderon claims that key dressing room leaders rejected that proposal.
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Mourinho, who left Real back in 2013, had his names on the lips of fans after the 4-1 Champions League drubbing by Ajax.
However, Calderon said, “The dressing room leaders pushed to reject the possibility of Jose Mourinho.
“He left (Real Madrid) a lot of problems and I think he would have been another problem to the ones we already have if he had come.
“I think Jose Mourinho would have been a step backwards, there was a lot of problems and controversy when he was here.
“He is a good coach with a lot of trophies but many of the leaders in the dressing room didn’t like him and I think that was important in the decision-making.”
Speaking on Zidane’s return to Real on a three-and-a-half year deal, Calderon added, “The players loved him and he was able to change the ideas of coaches like Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho who managed with a strong hand.
“And of course he is an idol with the fans – playing for the club as well as managing them to three Champions League trophies in a row.