Pepe urges Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to maintain stability at the club and stick with boss Zinedine Zidane

Real Madrid defender Pepe has called on the club's president Florentino Perez to maintain stability at the Bernabeu and keep on manager Zinedine Zidane regardless of Champions League success.

Zidane has endured a mixed start to his tenure as Los Blancos' manager with his side sitting in third position in La Liga with 60 points from 28 games played - four off second-placed Atletico Madrid, and 12 behind table-toppers, Barcelona. 

Yet, in light of some murmurings of criticism towards the French boss, Pepe has come out in defence of the 43-year-old.

Real Madrid defender Pepe (right) and boss Zinedine Zidane (left) speak at a press conference on Monday

Pepe has called on Zidane to stay on at the Bernabeu regardless of Champions League success

Zidane looks on during a Real training session on Monday prior to their Champions League last-16 tie

The Portuguese centre half told reporters: 'He was a legendary player who needs to work patiently because he will be one of the best coaches in the world and he will win many titles.'

Last week, Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Perez was planning to lure Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri to the Spanish capital in the summer, despite only appointing Zidane on January 4, if Real do not lift the Champions League this season. 

But 33-year-old Pepe went on to describe how that would be a counter-productive move: 'Zidane has brought many things.

'First of all, teamwork; secondly, we don't waste time on things that have no place in football - because he was a player and he knows what a player thinks and wants on the pitch; then, the togetherness in the group.'

At the Bernabeu on Saturday, there were renewed chants of 'Florentino, resign!' despite Madrid's 7-1 thrashing of Celta Vigo in the league.

The Spanish giants play Roma at home in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday; Real go into the match 2-0 up on aggregate.

Zidane (left) gives instructions to Gareth Bale in Madrid's 7-1 thrashing of Celta Vigo on Saturday