Real Madrid vs Villarreal - Zinedine Zidane urges Real Madrid focus ahead of Villarreal visit

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane wants his team to focus on their own performances rather than worry about what title rivals Barcelona or Atletico Madrid might do this season.

Villarreal come to the Bernabeu on Wednesday evening, when Real will be out to maintain their 100 percent start to the new campaign and have both Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale available again.

With second-placed Barca hosting fourth-placed Atletico later on the same night, Real's current three-point lead at the top of the table could be extended.

Zidane, though, insists his men must just concentrate on the job in hand, and then the rest will follow.

"We must be focused on what we have to do ourselves because we play before their game. Whatever happens they are going to be up there until the end because they're both very strong," he told a news conference.

"We must continue trying to record more wins. Even if we win three or four more consecutive games, it is not going to be easy to win the league.

"We must think about our game and the rest isn't going to change anything. Whatever happens it won't affect us. We have to win."

Real Madrid's 2-0 victory at Espanyol on Sunday was a 16th consecutive win in LaLiga, which equalled a record set in 2010/11 by Pep Guardiola's Barcelona side.

Zidane, however, knows more important landmarks lay ahead for the European champions.

"We haven't won anything, and the records are nice. We're going to try to continue picking up wins. It's what we want to try to do: train, play and win," the former France midfielder added.

"It's going to be a long season and there will be difficult moments. At the minute everything is going well. I always think from day to day and that's it. There's nothing else in our heads".

Zidane, who has rested Pepe but welcomes back Ronaldo and Bale after the missed the Espanyol game, added: "We can always improve. The players can and the coach even more so.

"We are doing well, but it is normal that there are more critics and demands than in other clubs. When you sign for this club you know what it's about."

After failing to secure a place in the group stages of the Champions League, Villarreal have built some momentum in recent weeks, their weekend win over Real Sociedad a third in succession in all competitions.

The sixth-placed Yellow Submarine could close the gap on Madrid to just one point should they pull off what would be a first triumph at the Bernabeu.

Coach Fran Escriba said on www.villarrealcf.es: "The chance to win or draw at the Bernabeu depends on being brave, and the statistics are there to be broken.

"However, we will have to defend with the ball knowing that in any moment they can create a lot of danger.

"Our team knows it is improving, but the difficulty of this game is at the maximum."