Madrid (AFP)

French Real Madrid coach Zinédine Zidane tested positive for Covid-19, the Madrid club announced on Friday.

"Real Madrid announce that our coach Zinédine Zidane has tested positive for Covid-19," the club said in a brief statement, without giving further details.

This positive test comes on the eve of Real's trip to Alavès, where the Merengues will try to bounce back after a humiliating defeat against a 3rd division club in the Copa del Rey this week.

Facing Alavès, a match counting for the 20th day of the Spanish championship, Zidane will be replaced on the bench by his assistant David Bettoni.

It was also Bettoni who settled in the coach's chair on Friday noon for the traditional pre-match press conference.

On January 7, the French coach had already had to go into isolation after having been in contact with a positive person.

The next day, after a negative result in a PCR test, he was able to hold his place on the bench against Osasuna two days later.

The Frenchman, at the heart of a difficult period sporting a succession of bad results, had coached his team normally last week during the Spanish Supercup, where Real were knocked out in the semi-final by the future winner Athletic Bilbao.

Zidane was also present on Wednesday in the 32nd final of the King's Cup lost to Alcoyano in added time (2-1).

© 2021 AFP