- Title: We can deal with pressure says Zidane as he praises Ronaldo
- Date: 2nd June 2017
- Summary: CARDIFF, WALES, UK (JUNE 2, 2017) (REUTERS) REAL MADRID MANAGER ZINEDINE ZIDANE WALKS INTO NEWS CONFERENCE WITH PLAYERS MARCELO AND SERGIO RAMOS 2, SOUNDBITE (Spanish) REAL MADRID MANAGER ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "There is no pressure. I think Real Madrid knows how to feed from the pressure. We are always living under this kind of pressure and I have seen it as a player and now I have seen it as a coach. You as journalists also know what the club is. You know that everyone says all the time that we are favourites, but in football there are no favourites. We know this is a final, when there is a final there are no favourites and in one game anything can happen. We are not favourites and Juventus are not favourites, it is a real 50-50." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS SOUNDBITE (Spanish) REAL MADRID MANAGER ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING: "If you had said that I was going to live all of this when I was child I wouldn't have believed it. But I'm living it and I am enjoying it. Mostly I am enjoying everything that is happening to all of us, not just to me. I am just the coach, just one more, but there are many of us, especially the players. We realise we are living something spectacular, something very special, for quite some time, and let's see what happens. It is really beautifully to be able to play a final again after the Milan final, and now we are just ready to play." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS SOUNDBITE (Spanish) REAL MADRID MANAGER ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING ON CRISTIANO RONALDO: "I think he is a good person, he is worried, he worries about the others, what I would like to insist on - in Spanish some words don't come out right - what is really important is what he does professionally. As many people say, he always wants more. Even if he is playing in a training session he wants to win there. What this gives the team, what he offers, and what this gives the team, most important to me is that he always wants to win. he has something inside. He is a born leader for everyone, else especially on the pitch and afterwards he is always worried about everyone, he is concerned for everyone." WHITE FLASH SOUNDBITE (Spanish) REAL MADRID MANAGER ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING ON WHO IS/WAS A BIGGER REAL MADRID STAR, HIMSELF OR RONALDO: "Cristiano Ronaldo, no doubt. Because he scores goals and that is the most important. Stop goals and score goals." NEWS CONFERENCE SOUNDBITE (Spanish) REAL MADRID MANAGER ZINEDINE ZIDANE SAYING ON WHETHER ISCO OR GARETH BALE WILL START: "First of all, I am not going to tell you who is playing tomorrow. As I was saying last week they are two players who can play together. Anything can happen in the long run. What is important is that when I look at my squad what is good is for all of them to be willing, able and ready to play. You are going to say of course they are willing to play a final. But it is not only mentally, they have to be ready also physically. What I am interested in today is that we are in a physical shape to play after a very long season. And that is what is very interesting for me, and then tomorrow we will see what we can do." NEWS CONFERENCE ENDS
- Embargoed: 16th June 2017 20:09
- Keywords: REAL MADRID CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL ZINEDINE ZIDANE
- Location: CARDIFF, WALES, UK
- City: CARDIFF, WALES, UK
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016JL6CZJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane believes Saturday's Champions League final between his side and Juventus is too close to call as he heaped praise on star player Cristiano Ronaldo.
Zidane's Real are going for an unprecedented defence of the title they won last year against city rivals Atletico in Milan.
He is hoping that Ronaldo could prove the difference in Cardiff against steely Italian opposition, but has a raft of star players to call on.
One tricky decision he faces is whether to play Isco from the start, or take a risk on Gareth Bale. The Welshman is returning to his home city, but has been injured of late and is unlikely to be fully fit. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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