Zinedine Zidane spoke in press conference before facing Valencia in La Liga, a game that they have to win to continue in the battle of the title before welcoming Atĺético Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu. However, the manager spoke more about Isco or the important moment of the season than about the rival on Saturday.
According to the manager, Los Blancos arrive well to the end of the season: “We are very good. What we’ve done until now we did it great. During the season you have to suffer, but we can be positive about what we are doing at what we did”. Zidane said that the players are with the manager: “There are moments of the season where you can have some doubts, but not now. The players are convinced”, the manager said.
Zizou also explained his famous changes in the line-up and whether he is fair or not: “I don’t think I’m unfair, on the contrary. I have a great respect for my players and I have to choose but I’m not unfair. There is another player, another club and another situation where the substitutes don’t play a minute. They play when the coach needs them and then is late. For me is not like this. I have to choose a line-up and you can think that some games are played by the same players, that there is a team A and B, but not for me”.
Regarding this team A or B, the manager explained his point of view: “From the beginning I know I have a great squad, that everybody is focused and they know this is Real Madrid. Apart from the quality, they are very serious”.
Zidane also told the journalists how he convinced Cristiano Ronaldo to rest: “I don’t think I’m brave, it’s my thought. I’m not the person who is going to put on the bench Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale. I talk with the players, I try to explain them my thoughts and we keep going altogether. We have the same path and the same idea. You have to get the understand that this is the way”.
Finally, the manager spoke about Isco, perhaps the best player in the last month and how he tells the Spaniard that he’s going to be on the bench: “I’m here for this. It’s difficult. Isco not playing every game is complicated after his performances. I try to speak with them. We have a game tomorrow, another one on Tuesday. Isco is focused and he has the trust of his coach. We’re going to keep like this until the end of the season and we’ll see next season”.
Zizou also said that he prefers Cristiano as a winger: “He has always played as a winger and, sometimes, as a forward. But his role is winger and nobody is going to change that. He’s scored 400 goals as a winger”.
i think you are unfair with the youths in Real Madrid other clubs give them the oppertunity to build confidence and shine but not you.