Zinedine Zidane admits his Real Madrid job is not safe and says he is not preparing for pre-season

The tide of internal politics has been turning against the Frenchman recently, and he has acknowledged that even a Champions League trophy might not hand him a long-term future at the Bernabeu

Zinedine Zidane is under no illusions about his job security (Getty)

Zinedine Zidane has admitted that his job is not "safe" at Real Madrid, just a day before the Madrid derby and amid swirling rumours about his future.

The Frenchman could not have had a better first season in charge, winning the Champions League after less than six months as coach, and his second campaign has only been soured by a Copa del Rey elimination to Celta Vigo.

Yet there is increasing talk of a squad unimpressed with the rookie coach and Florentino Perez turning against the man he'd been willing to sack as second-team coach just months before he replaced Rafa Benitez in early 2016.

Zidane has won the Champions League as a player, assistant and manager with Madrid (Getty)

And now Zidane has tackled the speculation head on by admitting he knows he could be out in the summer.

"No, [I'm not safe] at all," he said in a press conference.

"I'm not preparing anything. What I do is what is left for this season.

"I know this club, I know what it is to coach Real Madrid, for better or worse. I'm ready for every eventuality.

"I'll only talk about the next game, and it will be like that until my last day as coach here.

"I don't know what will happen after the season ends."

The glow of invincibility following Zidane's success in securing the Undécima has been short-lived. Several key commentators who are known to be close to - and influenced by - the club's hierarchy have recently begun to turn on the previously untouchable Zizou.

Zidane's treatment of James has seen him criticised (AFP/Getty Images)

Most recently, his treatment of James Rodriguez at Leganés on Wednesday was put under the spotlight, with influential members of the Spanish media backing the Colombian playmaker over the coach who substituted him.

Zidane could yet become the first-ever coach to win back-to-back Champions Leagues and he could double that up with La Liga.

But, on the other side of that coin, quarter-final elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich and then a second place to Barcelona in the Primera División could well see Zidane leave the club - something he is acutrely aware of.