Underground Titans Clash: Real Madrid and Liverpool Launch Secret Bidding War for Zinedine Zidane as Xabi Alonso and Arne Slot Teeter on Sack’s Edge…

In a seismic behind-the-scenes drama that’s gripped Europe’s elite boardrooms, Real Madrid and Liverpool have ignited an all-out clandestine battle to lure Zinedine Zidane out of his four-year coaching wilderness, sources close to both clubs revealed exclusively to The Athletic late Tuesday. With Xabi Alonso’s honeymoon at the Bernabéu turning into a dressing-room nightmare – marked by a humiliating 5-2 derby drubbing against Atlético Madrid and public rifts with stars like Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham – Madrid’s hierarchy has penciled in Zidane as the nuclear option, ready to offer a €25 million war chest and full squad veto power if Alonso’s fate is sealed after Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Olympiacos. Meanwhile, across the Channel, Arne Slot’s Liverpool – reeling from a shocking 4-1 home Champions League capitulation to PSV Eindhoven, their eighth defeat in eleven games and third straight three-goal thrashing – has quietly dispatched envoys to Zidane’s Paris base, dangling the promise of Jürgen Klopp’s full endorsement and a €20 million rebuild budget to resurrect Anfield’s fading title dreams.

The French legend, who last October hinted at a “soon” return to management during a Toulon charity match, has reportedly been “flattered but cautious” by the dual overtures, according to insiders. Madrid’s pitch leans on nostalgia: a third stint for the man who orchestrated three straight Champions League triumphs (2016-2018), with Pérez whispering of “unfinished business” amid Alonso’s tactical misfires and a squad of egos clashing like never before. Liverpool’s seduction is bolder, positioning Zidane as the “tactical genius” Klopp once hailed ahead of the 2018 UCL final – a chance to conquer the Premier League’s intensity without the Galáctico pressure cooker. Yet whispers from Zidane’s camp suggest his heart still pulls toward Les Bleus, where he’s the frontrunner to succeed Didier Deschamps post-2026 World Cup, potentially scuppering both bids. As Alonso faces a “disastrous” 1-1 draw hangover with Girona and Slot stares down a Merseyside derby abyss, the clock ticks: Zidane’s silence is the powder keg, and his choice could either heal these wounded giants or leave one in ruins.

Tương lai khó đoán của Zidane – Thể thao | Znews.vn

Fans on both sides are already fracturing into fervent camps, with Madridistas flooding social media with #ZidaneVuelve chants and Liverpool ultras resurrecting “You’ll Never Walk Alone” montages laced with Zidane’s iconic volleys. Betting odds have plummeted for Zidane to Anfield (from 12/1 to 3/1), while Spanish outlets scream of a “player revolt” demanding his Bernabéu homecoming. But as Fabrizio Romano cautions, “Zidane doesn’t rush – he conquers.” Will the maestro heed the Kop’s thunderous plea for a fresh era, or bow to the white throne that forged his legend? One thing’s certain: in this shadow war, the winner gets not just a coach, but the spark to storm Europe anew – while the loser licks wounds deeper than any transfer flop. The beautiful game just got its most tantalizing plot twist.

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