Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane spoke to the media on Saturday morning ahead of the club’s La Liga game against Valencia on Sunday at the Mestalla Stadium.
Prior to the coach’s press conference, Madrid had already announced that first team players Eden Hazard and Casemiro had returned a positive result in their latest test for coronavirus.
Official Announcement.#RealMadrid
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 7, 2020
Zidane took the chance to talk about the situation at hand and the effect it likely to have on the team in their preparations for Los Che.
On that and on the fact that Real Madrid had to train individually on Saturday, Zidane said: “They’re both good. They’re obviously not happy about what has happened. But, mentally, they’re good. Physically, they have a few things, but they’re well.
“I’ve exchanged messages with them and will talk with them again later. This can happen and we have to accept it. We have to adapt to the situation. It could be worse. Many people are having a tough time with this. But, it’s true that it’s concerning and it’s tough when you have a different training session like this.”
The gaffer also refused to draw excuses from what will be a difficult game without the two key players when they face Valencia.
“It’s a difficult match,” he admitted. “But we’re preparing as always to have a good performance. We’re facing a good opponent.”
One department Zidane has hardly rotated is his midfield, and the press took advantage of that to ask the manager about Spain international Isco, who has barely featured in Madrid’s games this season.
The coach replied: “He just needs to keep working. It’s not an Isco problem, it’s my problem. It’s true he hasn’t been playing much, but he just needs to keep working and doing what he’s doing. He has had tough times and also good times. We have many matches coming up and I hope he’ll be able to demonstrate what he can do.”
Martin Odegaard returned from a calf injury recently but the attacking midfielder has immediately been extended an invitation to play for his country in next week’s international games. Zidane was also asked in his take about that decision, and he said: “It doesn’t matter if that annoys me or not. His national team can call him up and that’s what they’re doing. He’ll be with us tomorrow.”
