- Title: Zidane talks Real Madrid derby against Atletico
- Date: 7th April 2017
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (APRIL 7, 2017) (REUTERS) REAL MADRID PLAYERS DIVIDED IN TWO GROUPS PASSING THE BALL FORWARD GARETH BALE AND LEFT BACK MARCELO CHASING THE BALL CENTRE BACK SERGIO RAMOS TRAINING BALE INTERCEPTING BALL WITH HEAD MARCELO PASSING THE BALL PLAYERS SPRINTING REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE ATTENDING SESSION AS PITCH IS WATERED STRIKER CRISTIANO RONALDO CHASING THE BALL MIDFIELDER TONI KROOS TAKING BALL WITH HANDS / GOALKEEPER KIKO CASILLA FORWARD KARIM BENZEMA MIDFIELDER CASEMIRO AND GOALKEEPER KEYLOR NAVAS PASSING THE BALL / CASEMIRO AND MARCELO ZIDANE ATTENDING SESSION PLAYERS PASSING BALL CENTRE BACK PEPE PASSING BALL AND LAUGHING PLAYERS JUMPING AND JOKING CASEMIRO HITTING BALL WITH HEAD / PLAYERS LAUGHING AND SHOUTING MADRID'S FOUR TOWERS IN THE BACKGROUND / ZIDANE TALKING TO STAFF MEMBER MIDFIELDER ISCO ALARCON DURING SESSION MIDFIELDERS MARCO ASENSIO, JAMES RODRIGUEZ WALKING AND TALKING / REST OF PLAYERS WALKING BALE, PEPE AND JAMES WALKING TRAINING 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: "No, not at all. I'm not preparing anything, the only thing I'm doing is working on the rest of this season. You know the importance of this club, I know it, I know the job of training Real Madrid for the good and for the bad. I'm prepared for everything. That's why I always speak only about the next match because that's what I'm interested in. And it will always be like that, until my last day as a coach here. " NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "I can say they defend well, yes, but not only that, it's a team that over the five years that Simeone has been there they have improved a lot of their game. They play very good football with all of their players, they don't only have defensive players. Not only the three attacking players but their midfield and their right and left backs, they know how to play. They know how to play football." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "At the end of the day, all the players and even more so Cristiano are always there in the important matches. He is used to it and has the ambition of always playing well, as any other player, but he trains very well and he is ready for these final part of the season" NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "There's no problem, it's something normal between coach and player and this is always going to happen in football. What do you think? James and I have the same interests. Do you think we are going to talk more about this things? We left that issue behind and that's it. We only think on tomorrow's match and that's it." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS ZIDANE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 21st April 2017 14:15
- Keywords: Spain Real Madrid Atletico Madrid soccer football
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016BEGCAN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Friday (April 7) he is not sure about his future at the club and is only focused on what is left of this season before hosting local rivals Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Real Madrid can maintain their lead over Barcelona in La Liga and remain on course for their first title in five years really when they face Diego Simeone's side on Saturday (April 8).
Zidane praised the overall quality of Atletico ahead of the game.
"I can say they defend well, yes, but not only that, it's a team that over the five years that Simeone has been there they have improved a lot of their game. They play very good football with all of their players, they don't only have defensive players. Not only the three attacking players but their midfield and their right and left backs, they know how to play. They know how to play football," said Zidane.
The European champions' destiny is in their own hands as they lead holders Barcelona by two points whilst also having a game in hand.
Real ended a three-season drought against their neighbours earlier on in the campaign with a 3-0 win at the Vicente Calderon in November, thanks to a hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo.
Atletico have won all three of their previous visits to the Santiago Bernabeu in the league and head there after beating Real Sociedad 1-0 on Tuesday (April 4) to record five consecutive domestic wins for the first time this season. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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