Raul surprised by Zidane coaching role

Real Madrid great Raul says he did not expect his former team-mate Zinedine Zidane to become a coach. 

Zidane replaced Rafael Benitez in the Santiago Bernabeu hot seat in December and could be on the verge of a Champions league and La Liga double. 

In an interview with Cadena Copa, Raul, who retired in November after a spell at New York Cosmos, said: “When we were players I did not see him becoming a coach. But when we finished he decided he wanted to train [players]. 

“His [team] looks very exciting and he has a great opportunity to be successful with the first team. He is doing very well fighting for the La Liga title and hopefully he has much success.

“He knows the players very well, he has been one of the best players in the history of football and what he is doing at Madrid is all positive. 

“He uses a template he knows from when he was assistant to [former Real Madrid coach Carlo] Ancelotti and when he was training Castilla,” he added, referring to the Madrid B team.