Zidane wanted to leave after Copa del Rey elimination against Leganes LaLiga Santander - Real Madrid Florentino Perez managed to resolve the situation

On Saturday, Zinedine Zidane will watch the Madrid derby as a spectator once again, with the tranquility of not being the centre of attention for every decision.

The Frenchman is calm about life after departing his position as Real Madrid coach, as shown by his holiday in London, and he doesn't appear to miss the dugout.

He isn't in a hurry to return to coaching but if things remain complicated at Old Trafford, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him end up at Manchester United, or at least fielding a call from England about his potential interest in the post.

Time will tell if Real Madrid miss him or not.

The truth is that the club's boardroom fought hard to keep him at the club.

In February, Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez managed to change his mind once when, after their shock Copa del Rey defeat against Leganes, he told them that he didn't have the strength to continue in his role.

They managed to talk him down and sway him into remaining, which proved a wise decision as he led the club to another Champions League title.

On the last day of May, they didn't manage to repeat February's success in convincing him to remain and Zidane said goodbye at a press conference the next day.

He was exhausted by the role at that point and believed, and continues to maintain, that his decision was the best one for the club and the players.

Julen Lopetegui has an opportunity on Saturday night to achieve something that the Frenchman couldn't do and that is beating Atletico Madrid in LaLiga Santander at home.

It would certainly ease some of the rising tensions around the club.

Elsewhere, the galas organised by UEFA and FIFA have become, despite the notable absentees, the nerve centre of football.

Ob Monday, there was an encounter at The Best between Perez and Mauricio Pcohettino.

The corridors of the Royal Hall witnessed the interesting greeting between the Real president and the Tottenham Hotspur boss.

Best regards were exchanged and little else, as happened with Kylian Mbappe.