Real Madrid approached Pep Guardiola to take over before sacking Rafa Benitez

What a coup this would have been.

It would have been bizarre to see Pep Guardiola coaching against Barcelona but that didn't prevent Real Madrid from approaching the Spaniard. Current Bayern Munich manager Guardiola has recently revealed his intentions to leave the Allianz Arena at the end of the season and that was the cue for Florentino Perez to attempt the unthinkable. Spanish football journalist Graham Hunter has revealed that the Real president made moves to bring the former Barcelona boss to the Bernabeu prior to sacking Rafa Benitez this week. Hunter said on BBC 5 Live: "It's a fact that six weeks ago they (Madrid) approached him and asked him 'would you take over?'. That underlines the fact that Pep is seen as the best appointment by every single club." While it would have been a massive acquisition, Hunter acknowledges the fact that it was never likely to come to fruition. "It says something about Madrid that they could get it so wrong, that one of the great anti-Madridistas was approached by them." Guess they'll just have to settle for Zinedine Zidane, then.