Zidane not worried about Real future
REAL MADRID coach Zinedine Zidane said yesterday he is not concerned about his future as his side prepare to face Paris St Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie which could determine whether he continues at the club.
The Frenchman became the first coach in the Champions League era to successfully defend the trophy last season and also led Real to the La Liga title. However, this season his side have fallen 17 points behind league leaders Barcelona, damaging his managerial reputation.
With Real also out of the King’s Cup, the clash against the Ligue 1 leaders and their ferocious trident of Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe represents an opportunity to salvage one of the club’s worst campaigns in recent history.
“Right now I’m not thinking about my future, I’m only thinking about the game as it’s the only thing we can control so we’re focusing on preparing for the game and we’ll see what happens,” Zidane told a news conference ahead of tonight’s first leg in Madrid. “Every game and every training session is important to me, but my future is not important. I’m very happy about playing these types of games, today there’s no pressure in particular, we’ve prepared the game in the same way we always do.
“There will always be pressure here, it’s something habitual, but I’m going to keep enjoying myself.”
Zidane is facing a French team for the first time since taking the reins at Real in 2016, but said he had nothing to prove back in his home country.
“We’re not going to change what people think of us, all we can do is work hard, and working hard is my passion. I try to transmit things to my players but I have nothing to prove tomorrow, I just want to play the game, I don’t care what people say about me,” he said.
Madrid left-back Marcelo said he and his teammates were still fully behind their embattled manager, who has won a total of eight trophies since succeeding Rafa Benitez.
“Our coach is very close to the players, he has helped us a lot and continues to help us,” said the Brazilian.
“He’s a great coach, it’s true we’re not in the situation we want to be but he’s doing everything to get us back to where we were. He’s very patient, he believes in his work and we believe in him and his work.”
Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius believes his consistent presence in the starting line-up during recent Premier League games has spurred his resurgence.
Karius and Simon Mignolet have battled to be Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper under manager Jurgen Klopp, but inconsistent performances by both shotstoppers has led the German boss to rotate them constantly. Karius has started the club’s last five league games, helping Liverpool notch three wins and keeping two clean sheets in the process.
“I am feeling good and getting consistent game time helps a lot,” the 24-year-old was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. “In the last few games I have had more stuff to do and I have been able to make some saves, which gives you more confidence.
“... I have had a lot of experience, but it definitely helps when you play regularly instead of coming in and out of the team.”
Liverpool travel to Porto in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie tonight and Karius, who is likely to start the match, is keen for the Merseyside club to take control.
“Having the second game at home can be a real advantage for us,” Karius said.
“But for it to be an advantage we need to put ourselves in a good position in the tie.” – Reuters