Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid - Zidane focused on Atletico Madrid game

Posted Friday, April 07, 2017 by PA

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane maintains his only focus is on beating city rivals Atletico at the Bernabeu on Saturday and not whether he will still be in the job next season.

The LaLiga leaders head into the derby two points clear of Barcelona and with a match in hand, while also through to the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they will face Bayern Munich with the first leg away in Germany next week.

Despite all of his achievements with Los Blancos as both a player and coach, having taken them to European glory last season, the Frenchman knows full well what the level of expectation is.

"I am not preparing anything. All I am focused on is what's left of the season. You know the stature of this club, I know it too, and I know what it means to coach Real Madrid, for better or for worse," Zidane said at a press conference.

"I am ready for anything and that is why I only speak about the next game, that is all I am interested in.

"The important game is tomorrow, there are three points to play for. I don't know what will happen beyond that."

Zidane added: "We are here to do all we can to win and then people can have their opinions. We are committed and we want to do a good job.

"It is all to play for in these closing stages and everything we have done so far is irrelevant - we are playing for LaLiga and the Champions League."

Zidane is set to recall Real's star men with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos all rested for the midweek 4-2 win at Leganes, but is taking nothing for granted against an Atletico team which is 10 points behind in third.

"It is not going to be an easy game. I don't know how they are going to play, but all I am interested in is what we are going to do," he said.

"As always, we are expecting 90 tough minutes and we will have to show resilience because that is football.

"It is a derby and we know what type of game it will be."

Zidane continued: "Atletico are going very well and I am not expecting anything like the game in the first half of the season (which Real won 3-0 away).

"We will have to dig in. We are focused and everyone wants to see a good game of football."

Zidane also looked to smooth over any issues surrounding James Rodriguez, with the Colombian forward having vented his frustrations when being taken off during the second half against Leganes where he had opened the scoring.

"It is something between coach and player and that will always happen in football," the Real Madrid coach said.

"We have both got the same objectives. It is over now and we are only thinking about tomorrow's game."

Los Colchoneros head to the Bernabeu on the back of three successive victories and will be looking to extend their seven-match unbeaten run ahead of the European tie against Leicester.

Striker Antoine Griezmann believes Diego Simeone's squad should be in a positive mindset as they aim for another away win over their bitter city rivals.

"I always have the utmost confidence in my team-mates and I would go as far as to say that I fancy us to get a positive result on Saturday," Griezmann said at a promotional event for the club ahead of the derby.

"We are calm, working on tactics and preparing ourselves for the match and working hard to be in the best possible state.

"It is an important game for our fans and for us, so we hope it turns out well."