French footballing legend Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as `` presidential advisor '' to Real Madrid 's first team , working alongside head coach Jose Mourinho . The 38-year-old has been working as a personal advisor to the Spanish club 's president Florentino Perez since mid-2009 , having retired from playing after the 2006 World Cup final . Mourinho , who has been given a two-match domestic ban for insulting a referee in a Copa del Rey match on Tuesday night , had requested that Zidane be involved in his backroom staff . `` The reasoning for his appointment is to assist in optimizing first-team working conditions , '' Real 's website reported on Friday . `` Zidane will be readily available to the president and coach for all matters concerning Real Madrid 's first team , with whom he will keep in frequent contact . `` The former player will participate in Champions League events and functions . He will also travel with the team on a regular basis for said competition and will participate in the pre-match gatherings , training sessions and meetings with the head coach . '' Sent-off Mourinho questions ref 's record . Mourinho , who is unbeaten at Real since taking over from Manuel Pellegrini in the off-season , will not be present on the touchline for Sunday 's trip to Sporting Gijon and the following weekend 's match against Athletic Bilbao . However , he will be free to return for the first `` Clasico '' of this season against arch-rivals Barcelona on Monday November 29 . The Portuguese coach was sent to the stands during the 5-1 win over Real Murcia after protesting against a yellow card and then insulting the referee . `` Mourinho was booked 'for formulating observations about the referee ' and he has been suspended for the Sporting and Athletic matches 'for addressing the referee with disrespectful vocabulary , ' `` Real 's website reported . Meanwhile , Italian club AC Milan may face a striker shortage ahead of this weekend 's derby with city rivals Inter with both veteran Filippo Inzaghi and Alexandre Pato sidelined . The 37-year-old Inzaghi is likely to miss the rest of this season after suffering a serious knee injury in Wednesday 's 3-1 Serie A victory over Palermo . Brazil international Pato , who came off with a thigh problem in the same match , will be ruled out for six weeks -- meaning he will not likely return until early January after the mid-winter break . Inzaghi will now have an operation on his damaged knee , and looks set to be out for the next six months -- prompting concerns that his long career may be at an end . `` Inzaghi underwent a scan which revealed lesions on the ligaments of his left knee . After consultation with Doctor Piero Volpi , it has been decided that the player will undergo surgery , '' said an official release from the club . It is a cruel blow for the one-time Juventus striker , who scored a match-saving brace during Milan 's 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in the European Champions League last week . He has already received a message of support from former Italy teammate and Roma talisman Francesco Totti , with the AC website relaying his kind words . `` Francesco Totti sent Filippo Inzaghi a greeting of support after hearing of the striker 's knee injury and told him he was a great goalscorer and example to all young players , '' read the statement . Inzaghi has enjoyed a glittering career and has twice won the European Champions League with the Rossoneri , in 2003 and 2007 . During the 2007 final he scored both goals in Milan 's 2-1 win over Liverpool at Athens ' Olympic Stadium .
Zinedine Zidane given post working alongside Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho . Former France star has been an advisor to Real president since mid-2009 . Mourinho will miss two La Liga matches after being banned for insulting a referee . AC Milan hit by double striker blow ahead of Sunday 's derby with arch-rivals Inter .