Bettoni: “Zidane told me he was happy with the attitude”

Zinedine Zidane was isolating at home after his positive COVID-19 test, so David Bettoni was the man leading Real Madrid against Alavés in their 4-1 win on Saturday night. The assistant-turned-temporary-head-coach spoke to the media after the match and explained that he felt the victory was merited.

He said: “It was a deserved win and we played well from the start. We were very serious defensively. We knew Alavés can play well in transition and that they can counter attack well. So, the team did well. Now, we’ll rest for a couple of days and then prepare for the next match against Levante.”

Bettoni was seen on the phone on a few occasions during the game and was asked what messages Zidane sent to him. He stated: “For the substitutions, I wanted to know the boss’ thoughts because he’s obviously the man in change and, let’s say, the most important person. He was very happy with the attitude and play. He told me to congratulate the players, like he would have done. Nothing special. We’re happy with the three points.”

Finally, Bettoni was asked about Eden Hazard’s performance and about why he was taken off when he was. The reply was: “We wanted to put in Vinícius for a bit more verticality. Hazard was good, but we wanted some more verticality and freshness. That’s all. He’s had a tough year and a half with injuries. We need to have patience with him. Of course, that’s tough at Real Madrid, but we’re happy with him. I think he’ll get better with each match.”