Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez has revealed that Zinedine Zidane told the players he was leaving his position as Madrid manager via a WhatsApp group chat hours before officially resigning from the club.
Zidane unexpectedly left Los Blancos last week after securing an historic third consecutive Champions League trophy, and his departure sent shock waves all through the footballing world.
Vasquez confirmed that the news came as a surprise to him, when speaking to Spanish radio station Cope.
“Zidane told us he was leaving on our WhatsApp group just hours before he announced it. I was in the hospital for the birth of my son and was surprised.”
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Spanish international Vasquez has been an important player for Real Madrid since Zidane took charge in 2016. The 26-year-old played in 51 of Real’s games this past season, as Madrid won the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Champions League.
Now the player has admitted that Zidane will be sorely missed in the Real dressing room:
“We all saw it and no one could write back. We all miss him. It was two and a half years where he was very good with everyone.”
Zidane reign at Madrid may have been only two and a half years, but the Frenchman made a huge impact at the club by winning a La Liga title as well as three Champions League’s in a row.
There is no clear indication who the next Real Madrid manager will be, but whoever it is, they will have a tough task following in Zidane’s footsteps.