- Title: Atletico Madrid improves every year, says Real's Zidane
- Date: 18th November 2016
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 18, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** REAL MADRID PLAYERS DIVIDED IN TWO GROUPS PASSING THE BALL, PLAYERS JOKING WITH RIGHT BACK DANIEL CARVAJAL CARVAJAL, GOALKEEPER KIKO CASILLA AND FORWARD LUCAS VAZQUEZ LAUGHING REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE AND STAFF MEMBER WALKING ON THE PITCH CENTRE BACK SERGIO RAMOS PASSING THE BALL TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS FORWARD KARIM BENZEMA AND LEFT BACK MARCELO JUGGLING THE BALL VARIOUS OF MIDFIELDER CASEMIRO AND CENTRE BACK PEPE TRAINING APART FROM THE GROUP STRIKER CRISTIANO RONALDO DURING SESSION, RIGHT BACK DANILO CHASING BALL MARCELO MAKING LONG PASS GOALKEEPERS TRAINING PLAYERS DURING EXERCISE BENZEMA PASSING THE BALL AND RUNNING SESSION IN PROGRESS RONALDO RUNNING AND TOUCHING BALL GOALKEEPERS KEYLOR NAVAS AND KIKO CASILLA TRAINING PLAYERS PASSING THE BALL RAMOS RUNNING AND PRESSING RONALDO RUNNING, TOUCHING BALL WITH HEAD, FORWARD GARETH BALE ZIDANE WALKING AND ATTENDING SESSION BENZEMA, MIDFIELDER LUKA MODRIC, PLAYMAKER JAMES RODRIGUEZ WALKING, RONALDO TALKING TO LEFT BACK FABIO COENTRAO PLAYERS TRAINING REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "Atletico Madrid is a team that improves every year, they always do. I think they have a really good coach that has changed a lot of things since he arrived, and he is doing a phenomenal job." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "When I met him, he (Sergio Ramos) had more hair and so did I (laughs). He's our captain, it's a joy to see him with us. We know how important he is, not only on the pitch. He is important for the group because, besides being a great player, he is a great person. For Real Madrid, it's important to have a player like him." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "It's a beautiful pitch with their great supporters. But Real Madrid players are used to playing on every kind of pitch: boisterous and complicated. We know quite well the Calderon, we know how difficult it can be. It's going to be a difficult match but we are aware of that and we are ready." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (French) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "The answer about Karim will be short: he's with the group and you'll see tomorrow if he's in the starting line-up. He's with the group and sorry, but I can't tell you anymore. About Griezmann, it's really good that he's going to play, he's a great player of Atletico Madrid and I think it's good he has recovered. I will never wish a rival to remain injured. He's an important player of Atletico Madrid and it's good he is well now. We must be vigilant not only about him, but about the whole team. I hope we all see a good match." ZIDANE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 3rd December 2016 14:26
- Keywords: Real Madrid Zinedine Zidane Atletico Madrid La Liga Soccer
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00158Z01TR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Friday (November 18) Atletico Madrid has improved a lot since the arrival of coach Diego Simeone and his team's ready to visit the Vicente Calderon stadium on Saturday (November 19).
Atletico have won four and drawn two of the last six derbies in La Liga. The last time Zidane's squad lost a match in La Liga was against Atletico at the Santiago Bernabeu on February 27. Since that date, Real Madrid has won 20 matches and drawn three in the domestic competition.
For Zidane, Atletico's Simeone is doing a great job at the club and has made the team improve year by year.
"Atletico Madrid is a team that improves every year, always. I think they have a really good coach that has changed a lot of things since he arrived, and he is doing a phenomenal job," Zidane said.
Real welcome back captain Sergio Ramos after five weeks out with a knee problem but the European champions will be without midfielders Toni Kroos and Casemiro and striker Alvaro Morata due to injury.
Zidane said at the news conference, captain Sergio Ramos is fundamental for the team.
"When I met him, he (Sergio Ramos) had more hair and so did I (laughs). He's our captain, it's a joy to see him with us. We know how important he is, not only on the field, he's important for the group because besides of being a great player, he is a great person. For this Real Madrid it's important to have a player like him," the coach said.
Real top the La Liga standings on 27 points, two above Barcelona in second and six clear of Atletico in fourth. A Real victory would stretch their advantage over their city rivals to nine points and severely dent Atletico's hopes of repeating their La Liga triumph of 2014.
Zidane also said they are aware on how difficult the clash against Atletico will be but he thinks their players are used to these kind of matches.
"It's a beautiful pitch with their great supporters. But Real Madrid players are used to play in every kind of pitches: boisterous and complicated. We know quite well the Calderon, we know how difficult it can be. It's going to be a difficult match but we are aware of that and we are ready," Zidane said.
French striker Karim Benzema has trained normally with the group for a second day for the first time since he was injured on November 2 against Legia Warsawa but is still a doubt for Saturday's starting line-up.
"The answer about Karim will be short: he's with the group and you'll see tomorrow if he's in the starting line-up. He's with the group and sorry, but I can't tell you anymore," the French coach said.
Real also have the upper hand on their neighbours in European competition and Saturday's game is the first meeting between the teams since Real's penalty shootout victory in the Champions League final last May.
The game takes on extra significance for being the last league derby at the Vicente Calderon stadium with Atletico due to move from the 50-year-old ground to a new 67,000 capacity arena next year. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None