Weeks of poor results has seen calls for Graham Potter to be sacked as Chelsea manager, and former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is reportedly a front-runner for the role.
The pressure on Potter has seemingly increased after each game since his arrival at Chelsea, with the Blues currently in a torrid run of form, winning just one game so far in 2023. For now, it appears Potter's job is secure, but if the poor run of form continues, there's every chance of a change at the helm.
If wins don't start coming Chelsea's way, one of the names tipped to replace Potter in the future is Zidane. The Frenchman led Real Madrid to three Champions League and two La Liga titles, and according to OddsChecker, Zidane is a favourite to become Chelsea manager if the role becomes vacant.
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So, if Chelsea were to appoint Zinedine Zidane as their new manager, could the Frenchman help improve the Blues' season? We simulated the rest of the season to find out.
Remainder of Chelsea's 2022/23 season simulated with Zinedine Zidane
To set up this simulation, we used Football Manager 2023 to simulate the rest of Chelsea's 2022/23 season from Friday, February 24, 2023. We then replaced Potter with Zidane as Chelsea manager to see how he could perform during the remainder of the season.
Automatically under Zidane, a shift saw the Blues improve, with Chelsea picking up wins more often and looking like an all-round better team. Despite a drop in form in the final few games of the season, Zidane was able to push Chelsea up the table by three places, finishing in seventh place.
10 wins, two draws and three defeats saw the Blues end the season on 63 points, but not many teams above dropped points, with Newcastle finishing nine points ahead of Chelsea in fourth. Seventh place secured a spot in the Europa Conference League for the Blues, whilst Spurs finished in sixth with 69 points and Liverpool in fifth on 71.
On Zidane's arrival, the Blues went on a six-game win streak in the Premier League, with two of their three losses coming in the final two games of the season. But understandably, Chelsea's heads were elsewhere, with Zidane using his Champions League expertise to lead the Blues to the final of the competition.
Wins against Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Napoli saw Chelsea reach the final, where they faced Zidane's former club Real Madrid. After a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes, the Blues won 5-4 on penalties to lift the trophy and also confirm a spot in the Champions League for the following season.
Overall, FM23 predicts that Zidane could bring the winning factor back to Chelsea if he was to join the club, with the Champions League expert helping the Blues lift the trophy in the simulation. Improvements were made instantly, showing maybe Potter isn't the right man to take Chelsea forward.
Do you think Zidane could be a good fit at Chelsea? Let us know in the comments!
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