- Title: Zidane not too worried about injuries ahead of clash with Celta
- Date: 24th January 2017
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (JANUARY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) REAL MADRID PLAYERS TRAINING STRIKER CRISTIANO RONALDO AND MIDFIELDER CASEMIRO RUNNING AND THROWING BALL REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE ATTENDING SESSION AND GIVING INSTRUCTIONS CENTRE BACK SERGIO RAMOS PLAYING FOOTBALL WITH HANDS PLAYERS PASSING BALL WITH HANDS / FORWARD KARIM BENZEMA SCORING WITH HEAD ZIDANE AND STAFF MEMBER ATTENDING SESSION VARIOUS OF PLAYERS PLAYING FOOTBALL FORWARD ALVARO MORATA PASSING THE BALL / RAMOS SCORING TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS PLAYERS DIVIDED IN THREE GROUPS SPRINTING RONALDO SPRINTING / ZIDANE AND STAFF MEMBER ATTENDING TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS MIDFIELDER ISCO ALARCON AND CENTRE BACK NACHO FERNANDEZ TALKING BENZEMA MADRID'S FOUR TOWERS / SESSION IN PROGRESS REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "It seems we are at the bottom of the table, playing for relegation and all those things. All these things that happen in the changing room are normal. They are worried when there is an injury, worried when we lose a match, but I'm not worried. I will keep doing the same thing and the players as well. We are cheerful and we are aware tomorrow we have a really nice match to play. When things are going well everything is easy, now we have a difficult match because we are 1-2 behind, but it's a really nice match to play." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "He (James Rodriguez) has had a few problems with his other leg but it's a muscle problem, not an injury, which is a good thing. When you are hurt in a part of the body you make the other part work harder and that's what happened to James. I would have like to tell you, because I said he would be with us on Monday, but it's not like that. He's also not happy because he wanted to be with the group." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "I don't like to see an injured and sad player. And when someone gets injured it's normal to be sad. But today that we are all here, the rest of the team is here and we will count with everyone as always. This is important for the group." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "He's ok for tomorrow (Cristiano Ronaldo) and he will be with us. About the contusion, it's just that, he has been troubled about that for sure but he is alright, it's not an injury. He will be with us tomorrow and we only think on tomorrow's match." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS ZIDANE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 7th February 2017 15:01
- Keywords: Real Madrid Celta Vigo Zidane
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00160FVGHR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Tuesday (January 24) he is not worried about the injuries the team is suffering and is looking forward to playing on Wednesday (January 25) as they attempt to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Celta Vigo to reach the King's Cup semi-finals.
A first league defeat of the season by Sevilla on January 15 followed by the Celta Vigo loss removed the team's veneer of invincibility, and Saturday's (January 21) unconvincing 2-1 win over Malaga did little to stem the criticism, with Real's supporters booing their players during the game.
"It seems we are at the bottom of the table, playing for relegation and all those things. All these things that happen in the changing room are normal. They are worried when there is an injury, worried when we lose a match, but I'm not worried. I will keep doing the same thing and the players as well. We are cheerful and we are aware tomorrow we have a really nice match to play. When things are going well everything is easy, now we have a difficult match because we are 1-2 behind, but it's a really nice match to play," Zidane said at a news conference in Madrid.
Brazilian left back Marcelo and Croatian midfielder Modric underwent tests on Monday (January 23) after being forced off the pitch during Real's win over Malaga. Los Blancos are already without the injured Pepe, Dani Carvajal and Gareth Bale.
Real are missing six players through injury with Colombia international James Rodriguez ruled out unexpectedly after straining a calf muscle just after recovering from another leg problem.
"He (James) has had a few problems with his other leg but it's a muscle problem, not an injury, which is a good thing. When you are hurt in a part of the body you make the other part work harder and that's what happened to James. I would have like to tell you that he is with us, because I said he would be with us on Monday, but it's not like that. He's also not happy because he wanted to be with the group," Zidane said.
Despite the large list of injured players, the coach is counting on the rest of the squad.
"I don't like to see an injured and sad player. And when someone gets injured it's normal to be sad. But today that we are all here, the rest of the team is here and we will count with everyone as always. This is important for the group."
Real's rivals, Celta Vigo, lost to Real Sociedad in their last La Liga match 1-0, as the rested important players for the clash against the European champions. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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