Former Real Madrid captain Fernando Hierro has been named as assistant to Carlo Ancelotti, replacing Zinidine Zidane.
Zidane has taken over the running of Real Madrid Castilla for the new season and AS reports the appointment of Hierro, 11 years after he left Santiago Bernabeu in acrimonious circumstances.
Hierro fell out with President Florentino Perez and moved to play in the Middle East before ending his career at Bolton Wanderers.
He later took a post with Malaga and held a position within the RFEF, more than once turning down approaches from Madrid to return to the club he served for 14 years.
But Hierro has agreed to assist Ancelotti, who used Twitter to welcome the appointment of the three-time Champions League winner.
Hierro also claimed five League titles and a number of other trophies during his Madrid career, and told AS of his excitement at taking the role next to the Italian and Paul Clement.
“Ancelotti is a quiet man, a man of the club with a lot of titles in all countries where he has been,” Hierro said.
“He is a normal, friendly, polite, quiet person. He has a lot of wisdom.
“The first three months [Ancelotti had at Madrid] he was criticised a lot. And he said he would make Madrid champions and fought for the League and won the Cup and finished off the year with La Decima.”
