Real Madrid stunned as club legend Raul quits managerial post with Castilla squad after six years

Real Madrid have officially announced the departure of club legend Raul from his post as manager of Real Madrid Castilla, the reserve side, on Tuesday, bringing an end to the former Spain international's six-year stint as the head coach of the B team.

Raul will depart Madrid after six seasons at the helm of the reserve team, where he delivered a consistently commendable performance. Under his leadership, Castilla came heartbreakingly close to promotion to the Segunda Division, narrowly losing in the playoffs to Eldense during the 2022–23 campaign. Although this season began on a disappointing note, with many tipping the team for relegation to the fourth tier, Raul once again proved his managerial mettle. He steered Castilla to a strong sixth-place finish, just shy of a playoff spot, defying expectations and reinforcing his credentials as a promising manager.

In their official statement, Los Blancos thanked Raul for his services, stating: "Real Madrid C.F. announces that Raul has informed the club of his decision to end his time as a coach at our youth academy. Real Madrid is proud to have had one of the greatest legends in our history and world football as a coach and trainer at our youth academy. Raul also exemplifies all the values of Real Madrid. Values that he has also passed on as a coach: he coached Cadete B (U15s) and Juvenil B (U18s) in the 2018-2019 season. Since then, he has coached Castilla. In August 2020, he also coached Juvenil A (U19s), the team that won the Youth League. Raul will always be in the hearts of all madridistas, and Real Madrid will always be his home. Real Madrid wishes Raul and his family all the best in this new stage of his life."

Raul is one of the biggest names in the history of Real Madrid. Having come through the ranks at La Fabrica, Raul made his first team debut at the age of 17 in 1994 and was an instant hit at the Santiago Bernabeu. Before leaving for Schalke in 2010, the Spaniard scored 323 goals, a club record until Cristiano Ronaldo surpassed him, and made 741 appearances, which is a club record that stands to this day.

Having gained considerable experience with Castilla, Raul may be ready to take the next step and manage a team at the top level. Over the years, the 47-year-old has constantly attracted interest from Bundesliga, with his former team, Schalke, believed to be considering make an approach this summer. Not just that, but last week, AS reported that Leeds United had Raul on their radar, which is a surprise given Daniel Farke led them back to the Premier League after a successful Championship campaign. Villarreal, too, are also believed to hold interest in the Madrid legend.