REAL MADRID
Zidane: "I don't like this Getafe game one bit"
Real Madrid's coach described the Champions League draw against Manchester City as "very very difficult - the only positive is that we're playing the return at home".
Zidane attended the media in Valdebebas after Friday's session and had two matters to discuss - the outcome of the Champions League draw which pitted Real Madrid against Manchester City, and tomorrow's trip across town to the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, for the Week 33 meeting with Getafe.
Criticism: "We have to work and give our best to win our games and that's all. I don't mind criticism, it usually only happens after we lose".
Champions League draw: "It's a semi-final, and for that reason it's going to be very very difficult; the only positive is that we'll play the return leg at the Bernabéu".
[Txiki] Begiristain says Madrid are the favourites: “That is something which will always happen and we do not mind. We know that City are a difficult side and we will be preparing for the game as we always do, with the objective of going through”.
Madrid always seem to get 'easy' rivals: “I don't agree with that. They said Wolfsburg was an easy game and look what happened”.
Tomorrow's game at Getafe: "I don't know if winning all of our remaining games will mean we will win the league. At the moment we are third and first we have to get past the team in second, Atlético. I don't like tomorrow's game one bit, because the general opinion is that we will win easily; we are playing a side who are playing for their lives, they've just changed their coach, and it's going to be a very complicated game. When I say I don't like it, I am referring to the atmosphere and that it is never easy to play against a team who are parctically bottom of the table and who have only recently had a change of coach. The players know what's at stake. We've gone from being 13 points adrift to four and now's not the time to drop our guard".
Rotations: “I'll be making a few changes against Getafe”.
Benzema excluded from the France squad for EURO 2016: “I've spoke to him. I'm not going to enter into the Federation's decision to leave him out but he is quite upset by it all, he's sad and annoyed because he wanted to be a part of the team at the tournament. He can contribute a lot to the national team because he's a great player. I am completely confident that he will continue doing a good job for us but I cannot comment on whether I think it's fair or not”.