Real to appeal against Zidane’s coaching ban

MADRID — Real Madrid have confirmed they will appeal against the three-month ban imposed on their “B” team coach Zinedine Zidane, who has criticised the lack of support he received over the matter.

The former Real and France midfielder was sanctioned by the Spanish Football Federation for allegedly acting as head coach of third tier Real Madrid Castilla — the club’s reserve side — even while Santiago Sanchez, who was also banned for three months, nominally held the post.

Reuters reported that Real, in a statement on their website, expressed their “absolute disagreement with the decision” and said they would “pursue every available legal avenue so that this decision is overturned”.

“Not least because Zinedine Zidane has been authorised by the French football federation (FFF) to work as a head coach in the category Real Madrid Castilla currently play in, as the certificate issued by the federation from Oct. 2014 states,” they added.

Zidane, 42, had been reported to the Spanish FA by Miguel Galan, the representative for the Spanish coaches and head of the National Centre for Developing Coaches, for not having the necessary level 3 coaching qualification required. Zidane has a UEFA ‘A’ licence, the equivalent of a level 2 certification.

“I have no regrets about having taken my qualifications in France,” Zidane told Le Figaro. “It’s still amazing there are also so few people to defend me and explain that I did not have special privilege. I did not circumvent the difficulty — but some took the opportunity to spit on me.”

Castilla were relegated from the second division last season, before Zidane joined the coaching staff. They are currently 14th in Group 2 of the regional four-group “Segunda B”, or third tier. AGENCIES