Could Zinedine Zidane swap Real Madrid for Juventus to replace Andrea Pirlo?

Stefan Bienkowski

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 3 min read

Italian giants Juventus could be about to dump head coach Andrea Pirlo in favour of hiring Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. 

According to Spanish journalist Eduardo Inda, the Serie A side are keeping close tabs on Zidane’s situation in the Spanish capital and will be prepared to pounce if he parts ways with Madrid. 

The French coach has been under immense pressure this season, after his side were knocked out of both domestic cup competitions and now lag behind Atletico in the Spanish top flight. 

However, much of the team’s struggles could be put down to a long list of injuries and the club’s inaction in the summer transfer window to plug the notable holes across Madrid’s first team squad. 

As such, there seems to be as much chance of Zidane walking away from Madrid as there is of the club drawing a line under his tenure. And if either of those things happen Juventus are reportedly ready to take advantage of the situation. 

Should Juventus replace Pirlo?

Pirlo was appointed Juventus head coach in the summer of 2020 as a quick and relatively popular stop-gap replacement to the recently dismissed Maurizio Sarri. The young coach had just been put in charge of the club’s U23 side and, presumably, was cheap and available when football was in the midst of the COVID pandemic. 

However, the former midfield maestro hasn’t exactly hit the ground running in his first managerial posting. Despite a successful Champions League group stage and a Coppa Italia final to look forward to, Pirlo’s Juventus side have won just 12 of their opening 21 league matches and sit eight points behind league leaders Inter. 

Indeed, when we compare Pirlo’s record in Serie A to the three Juventus managers that came before him it begins to make sense as to why the club may be looking for a more experienced head coach next season. 

At the moment Pirlo’s Juventus side average just two points per Serie A game. Not only is that some way off Sarri’s average of 2.24 but it’s also lower than Massimiliano Allegri 2.39 and Antonio Conte’s 2.4 

Despite his relative success in the Italian Cup and the potential to do well in Europe, Pirlo hasn’t yet managed to get his side firing on all cylinders in the league and that may end up costing him his job of Zidane suddenly becomes available.