Pochettino trends on Twitter as Zidane faces heat following Champions League horror show

Following Real Madrid's disastrous defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, manager Zinedine Zidane has been criticised heavily by fans on social media. Fans have begun demanding the manager's sacking, despite the Frenchman's insistence that he will not resign, but rather fix the mess. But fans seem to have already decided the ideal replacement for the current manager, with former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino trending on Twitter after the result last night.

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Shakhtar vs Real Madrid UCL results: Defeat cast doubts on Zidane's future 

Real Madrid's attempt to seal a spot in the Round of 16 of the Champions League was further halted, albeit temporarily, by Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday. The Ukrainian side smashed two goals in the second half to ensure their hopes of making it to the knock out stage of the European competition. 

Raphael Varane was caught off-guard for Shakhtar's opener with Dentinho bagging the lead within 11 minutes of the second half. The French defender has been slammed for his positioning, particularly since the debacle against Manchester City in the Champions League last season. 

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With Zidane sacked rumours rocketing, is Pochettino the next Real Madrid manager?

Fans believe Zidane should be sacked, irrespective of his previous success at the Santiago Bernabeu. The manager guided Los Blancos to three successive Champions League titles, but fans insist the Frenchman should pave way for some new vigour and energy at the Spanish capital. 

Interestingly, Pochettino has been touted as the ideal Real Madrid manager following Zidane's sacking. The former Spurs boss has been without a job since his sacking by the north London outfit a year back. The Argentine tactician was earlier linked with a move to Real Madrid following Santiago Solari's exit, but president Florentino Perez decided to offer another stint to the Frenchman. 

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Zidane accused of favouritism following Shakhtar vs Real Madrid debacle 

Although Pochetinno did not win any title with Spurs, his tactical genius and player management has received massive praise from several quarters. Besides, Zidane has been accused of favouritism, as he prefers the old guard ahead of the young Turks, which seems to have backfired.

Karim Benzema didn't manage a single minute of game time due to his injury for almost a month but was immediately included in the starting line up against Alaves and Shakhtar. Interestingly, Pochettino is known for his preference to young talents, irrespective of his personal equation with the players. 

Fans demand Pochettino's appointment at Real Madrid 

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Image courtesy: Real Madrid Twitter/ premierleague.com