Valverde on Madrid rumours: I know nothing

Athletic Bilbao head coach Ernesto Valverde insists he has not spoken to Real Madrid about replacing Zinedine Zidane in the Santiago Bernabeu hot seat next season.

Valverde has emerged as a contender to succeed Zidane, who has reportedly lost the confidence of some at Madrid after slipping 12 points behind Barcelona in the Liga title race.

Mauricio Pochettino and Joachim Low are thought to be among the other coaches under consideration, but Valverde – whose side sit seventh in La Liga and face Valencia in the Europa League last 16 – pleads ignorance.

“I know nothing,” he said. “They have not called me once and I know nothing.

“I can only talk about my team. I do not think about anything else. I do not answer to rumours in the press.

“You are here and you can ask among yourselves.

“My team is Athletic and I do not think about anything else. We are seventh in the league, we can enter another year in Europe and we are also in the Europa League with the tie against Valencia ahead.

“I do not want to talk about this matter.”