Zidane brushes off criticism

ZINEDINE Zidane claims he has not even thought about the criticism aimed at him in recent weeks as Real Madrid look to build on Sunday’s moraleboosting win away at Sevilla.

Real eased the growing pressure on its coach with a determined performance at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan after it had been beaten 0-3 by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League four days before.

That loss was Real’s worst during Zidane’s two spells as coach and prompted questions about the Frenchman’s future, with Jose Mourinho among those linked with taking charge.

Real plays newly-promoted Osasuna today and could go top of La Liga with a victory.

“It’s always the same, there has always been criticism and there always will be,” Zidane told a press conference yesterday. “I don’t even think about it. It is what it is, it happens. When we lose, I’m going to get sacked and when we win, I’m the best. You just have to keep working.

“I feel strong but I feel the same as I did a month ago. The important thing is to give 100 per cent and to give my best. I remember playing badly for this team as well but the important thing is to give your best.”

Real has won three of its six games in all competitions so far this season and, after Osasuna, plays Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday.

“We played a good game in Sevilla but most of all we played as a team from the first minute until the last,” Zidane said. “Playing as a team, fighting for each other, that’s what we have to do against Osasuna and we have to keep playing like that.”

Real will be without Ferland Mendy today after the defender injured his hamstring against Sevilla, which leaves Zidane short at left-back, with Marcelo also recovering from a back problem.

(AFP)