Zidane: “We are used to matches like this one”

Zinedine Zidane spoke to the media on Tuesday, ahead of Real Madrid’s second leg match against Liverpool in the Champions League. He was even quieter than usual, providing short answers and keeping his cards very much close to his chest.

Speaking generally about the game, the coach said: “We know it’ll be difficult. We’ll try to do what we have been doing. We’re going to have to compete, defend and attack well. Whenever Real Madrid are on the pitch, the target is to win the match and that’s what we’ll try to do. We’ve had two matches with a lot of effort, but we are used to playing matches like this. Tomorrow we’ll have another match that will demand our maximum.”

Asked about the latest injury, that of Lucas Vázquez, Zidane said this could be a cause for the team to be even more united, echoing a point made by Luka Modrić in his own press conference. He said: “I think we’ve had difficulties, but the squad always unites when we have difficulties. That shows the character that this team has. We’d have liked to have all the players with us, but we just need to try to prepare as we can.”

Asked if the schedule is too intense, Zidane replied: “We know that it’s difficult. This is a very strange season for many reasons, but we can’t change that. What we have to do is try to recover as well as possible each time. The schedule is what it is. We’re going to continue and we’re going to fight.”

Then came a series of curt answers from the coach. On the possibility of Álvaro Odriozola starting, he said: “It’s true that he hasn’t played much, but Odri is focused. I can’t tell you now, though, if he’ll play tomorrow.”

On Fede Valverde’s chance of playing, he replied: “He has recovered and he’ll be 100 percent. He’ll be with the team.”

Then, asked if he could see Jurgen Klopp in charge of Real Madrid one day, Zidane said: “Right now he’s the coach of Liverpool and I’m the coach of Real Madrid.”