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Real Madrid will be hoping Solari is another Zinedine Zidane, but the job is harder now

Solari was given the permanent job on Monday evening: Getty Images
Solari was given the permanent job on Monday evening: Getty Images

Santiago Solari is the chosen one. At least, that is, after Zinedine Zidane surprisingly left in May, a series of coaches knocked back Real Madrid in the summer and Julen Lopetegui was sacked last month.

The Argentine is in charge on a full-time basis now, the club confirmed on Tuesday evening, having led Los Blancos to four wins out of four in his short spell as interim boss.

Victories over Melilla, Valladolid, Viktoria Plzen and Celta Vigo convinced the powers that be at the Santiago Bernabeu that Solari is the right man to take the club forward. In truth, however, there were not many viable options.

Another Argentine, Mauricio Pochettino, was ruled out quickly in the summer as Tottenham told Florentino Perez he was unavailable, after he had signed a new contract at the end of last season.

Solari has four wins in four games as Los Blancos boss. (EPA)
Solari has four wins in four games as Los Blancos boss. (EPA)

Jurgen Klopp, Joachim Low, Massimiliano Allegri and Julian Nagelsmann also said ‘no’ and Madrid then turned to Lopetegui, the former Spain coach subsequently sacked by the national team and then lasting only 14 games in the job.

Real wanted Antonio Conte after that, but the Italian was wary of a hostile dressing room and taking over in the middle of the season. At the club, there were also doubts over the Italian's personality.

So Solari stepped up from Castilla, the youth side, having coached junior teams at the club for the past five years.

The 42-year-old, a Champions League winner with Madrid who played alongside Zidane and is friends with the Frenchman, won all his first four fixtures to make the best-ever start by a new coach in the club's history.

Solari has already had a positive impact on the squad. (EPA)
Solari has already had a positive impact on the squad. (EPA)

La Liga rules state that an interim boss can only be in charge for two weeks and Madrid contacted the LFP to file the paperwork for a new contract for the Argentine on Monday.

"The board of directors of Real Madrid C.F., which met today, 13 November 2018, has agreed to appoint Santiago Solari as first-team coach until 30 June 2021,” a short statement said on Tuesday evening.

Solari, like Lopetegui, has been given a deal which runs until 2021. This time, though, Madrid will hope he lasts longer than the man he is replacing.

A popular figure within the club, Solari was considered by Perez as a possible assistant to Zidane in 2016 and has worked hard behind the scenes to prepare for this moment.

Asked at his very first press conference if he could be another Zidane, he said: “Leave Zizou in peace! He’s one of the great figures for Madrid. There are no adjectives for him. Better to leave him alone, in his greatness, and not compare anybody to him because he is incomparable.”

Zidane took over in similar circumstances in January 2016, when Rafa Benitez was sacked following a run of indifferent results which included a 4-0 loss at home to Barcelona in the Clasico.

Solari's route to similar to that of Zidane's. (Getty Images)
Solari's route to similar to that of Zidane's. (Getty Images)

Benitez held on for a little longer, but was a condemned man after that defeat, while Lopetegui lost his job straight after a 5-1 loss to Barca at Camp Nou last month.

Against all odds, Zidane transformed the team’s fortunes and led Los Blancos to three consecutive Champions League crowns and a league title among nine trophies in total, and Madrid president Perez will hope for a similar upturn under Solari.

However, Real sold Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer and did not replace the Portuguese, who scored 450 goals in his nine seasons at the Bernabeu, including a number of vital goals in the Champions League.

On top of that, there have been a number of players off form this season and also tired after the World Cup, with Zidane claiming he could no longer motivate his squad.

That is not unusual at a club like Real or Barca where even the successful coaches only stay for around three seasons, and early signs are that Solari has already had a positive impact.

The club are back on track and alive in all competitions, having closed to within just four points of Barca in La Liga after the champions lost at home to Betis on Sunday.

However, tougher tests than Melilla, Valladolid, Viktoria Plzen and Celta lie ahead, and the play still needs to improve significantly, despite the positive results in the last four games.

Solari has, in theory, until 2021 to make his mark, but in reality, he will need to be successful soon to remain in charge – and that probably means winning a trophy this season. The hard work starts now.