Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad - Zidane urges Real to maintain title focus

Posted Saturday, January 28, 2017 by PA

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane wants the second half of the season to be as successful as the first for his team as they step up their bid for another LaLiga title.

Madrid hold a one-point advantage over Sevilla and two over bitter rivals and defending champions Barcelona, with Los Blancos chasing a first league trophy since 2011/12 and a 33rd overall.

Zidane's men have suffered just one LaLiga defeat so far this season, to Sevilla on January 15, although they were also knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Celta Vigo in midweek.

Yet the Frenchman feels they can still be proud of what they have achieved so far, having also progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League.

"The balance of the first part of the season is very positive," he said on the club's official website.

"We're fighting in the league and the Champions League. We're happy with what we've done.

"Now the second part of the season begins and what we have to do is continue with the consistency we've had so far. We know it will be difficult but pleasing at the same time."

Real Sociedad are the visitors to the Bernabeu on Sunday, another team licking their wounds following a midweek cup loss.

However, their league form has been impressive to date, with Eusebio's men lying fifth in the standings, although Zidane is confident Madrid will have the upper hand with the home crowd behind them.

"I don't think Sociedad's elimination from the cup will affect them," he said. "They're a team who always make things difficult and they've improved.

"When you look at their results there was a spell when they won all of their matches. They are still in that kind of form and can put you in trouble at any moment.

"But tomorrow the fans will encourage the team, which is what matters to us. We are with them and they are with us.

"We always win with the help of the fans. They're demanding but that's good for us."

Sociedad travel to the Spanish capital on the back of two successive league wins and a six-point deficit on the top three.

However, missing out on a place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals to Barcelona has been a source of disappointment for Eusebio, and the coach now wants to see his players put all their energy into finishing as high as they can in the league.

"Physically we feel fine but we're a little sad because we wanted to do something big in the cup. We gave it everything," he told Sociedad's website.

"We can be happy and proud of what we've done but we have to be ambitious and think to ourselves, 'that's not enough, we want more'.

"Real Madrid deserve a lot of respect in my mind. Despite their current situation, it's the same team that has had so much success.

"But we are strong and I know we can do something important there."