Real Madrid will appeal a three-month suspension slapped on assistant B team coach Zinedine Zidane for not having the correct licence, the club said on Monday.

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 even while Santiago Sanchez, who was also banned for three months, nominally held the post.

Zinedine Zidane. Credit:AFP

In a statement on its website (www.realmadrid.com), Real expressed its "absolute disagreement with the decision" and said it 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 October 2014 states," they added.