Zinedine Zidane spoke in press conference the day before playing against Las Palmas at Santiago Bernabéu in La Liga. The French manager spoke about the controversy with the referees after the penalty given to Real Madrid against Villarreal for a handball committed by Bruno Soriano.
“We don’t criticized the referees, I have an amazing dressing room. If people can get bothered, I understand them. I’m very proud of my players because they respect the referees and I support them. I’m not going to say anything about Roig words [Villarreal’s chairman], I respect everybody. What I care the most is about my players and they are an example, respectful and professionals”, Zidane said. We have to remember that Gerard Piqué posted a tweet complaining about the referees on Sunday evening.
Real Madrid won in Villarreal thanks to Isco and Morata, who started on the bench: “We are 24 and I have to choose. You know what I think about the two of them, they did their job like the others. When you take out a player, even if they’re playing, they’re annoyed, because everybody wants to play. I don’t want to make everyone happy because this is impossible, I want to show that everybody is important”, the French coach explained.
He also added how is the communication with the squad: “I speak with them to tell them whether they play or not. I have an idea we have a great team. The most important thing is to speak with the player and be clear. Then, when someone doesn’t play, even if you talk a lot, they’re not going to be happy”.
The team conceded four goals in the last two games but Zidane has the solution: “It can be amended, we try to look for solutions. The beautiful thing about football is this. We try to work, but then there is a rival, who put you in trouble, but it’s not our fault”.
Against Valencia, Real Madrid were losing 2-0 but Zidane didn’t introduce Isco or Morata, who left the stadium without playing: “A manager can be wrong, but we weren’t that bad at Mestalla. The first 10 minutes, we were without the ball, but sometimes you can’t avoid it. You just have to work and think in the next game. The other day we were losing 2-0 and I don’t like it. I prefer to score before. We came back against Villarreal but not only for the substitutions. Marcelo gave an assist and he was in the pitch before. The whole team was great”.
Finally, Zidane didn’t explain if Benzema will start against Las Palmas or if the BBC were going to be in the pitch: “Karim is going to play when I take the decision”, Zidane finished.
