Zidane quits as Real Madrid coach

MADRID — Zinedine Zidane quit as Real Madrid coach on Thursday, less than a week after leading the team to its third straight Champions League title, saying the club needed a change in command.

The 45-year-old Zidane, who was coach for two and half seasons, said he felt it was the right moment for him and for the team to make the move.

“This club needs a change to keep winning,” Zidane said. “With me it would have been complicated to keep winning.”

Zidane won nine titles as Madrid coach, including the three Champions League titles, one Spanish league title, one Spanish Super Cup, two UEFA Super Cups and two Club World Cups.

As a player, Zidane was in two consecutive Champions League finals with Juventus, losing both times, including to Madrid in 1998. He finally won the European title as a Madrid player in 2002, scoring an amazing volley in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.

With France, he won the 1998 World Cup. In the 2006 final, he was sent off for headbutting Italy defender Marco Materazzi.

The agreement will be worth US$650,000 at the NHL level and $80,000 in AHL salary, with $105,000 guaranteed, the Canadiens said in a release. Valiev was acquired in the deal that sent forward Tomas Plekanec to the Toronto Maple Leafs last February.

The 23-year-old Russian appeared in two games with the Canadiens before being injured. He had 18 points (6-12) over 45 games with the AHL’S Toronto Marlies and Laval Rocket.