Zidane is facing mounting pressure to save his job following Los Blancos' inauspicious start to the season, which has seen the club fall seven points behind league leaders Real Sociedad and which has left their UEFA Champions League hopes hanging in the balance.
Further doubt was cast on the 48-year-old's future on Tuesday after his side suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk in Europe, meaning anything but a win in next week's clash against Borussia Dortmund could see them crash out of the competition.
While club president Florentino Perez is said to have given Zidane his full backing, it has now been reported that Real have contacted a possible replacement for the Frenchman if results do not improve.
According to Spanish publication Sport, the reigning LaLiga champions have been in touch with Mauricio Pochettino to determine whether or not he will be available in the event that a decision is made to sack the incumbent coach.
Pochettino has been out of the game since leaving Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, and was linked with the top job at domestic rivals FC Barcelona prior to Ronald Koeman's appointment at the club.
It is claimed that Real had tried to appoint the Argentine coach in 2018 after Zidane resigned from his first managerial stint, and that the club remains of the view that he has the requisite profile to take on the challenge.
