Asprilla: Zidane "lacks respect" for James Rodríguez
Former Colombian international Faustino Asprilla believes there is a "media campaign" against his compatriot and that Real Madrid need to give him "more respect"
In an interview with Onda Cero, former Colombia, Parma and Newcastle striker Faustino Asprilla talked about the situation of his compatriot James Rodríguez at Real Madrid, accusing the media of having a “campaign” against the player and that the club needs to show him “a little more respect”.
On the press
“There’s a campaign against James Rodríguez in a large party of the [Spanish] press. It’s one thing that James isn’t in the starting 11 ad he’s not playing, but it’s another thing that they stick their nose in his private affairs…If James laughs, If he doesn’t laugh…if he goes out with his teammates…These are things outside of football and they’re not befitting to football, not to James, not to Real Madrid, not to anybody.”
On Zidane
“If James hasn’t been able to show to qualities it’s because the coach won’t take him into account. [Zidane] is giving him very few minutes. James is capable of saying ‘give me three or consecutive games’, and if he plays really badly, then fine, they can take him out of the side and send him to the reserves or to another team. But hopefully they give him the opportunity.
“When James arrived at Madrid with Ancelotti they gave him [the opportunity]. It’s no coincidence that he played well under Ancelotti and then the following year Zidane comes in and he’s plays badly. We’re talking about the highest goalscorer in the last World Cup here. One needs to have a bit of patience and respect, because I don’t know how many years Karim Benzema has had, six or seven, in Real Madrid, but in the first two years they had to put up with him and wait for him [to develop].”
On Gareth Bale
“We’re talking about James Rodríguez, who’s probably the greatest figure of Colombian football today. He had a n extraordinary World Cup and Real Madrid paid for such value. They should respect that and give him more opportunities…the same as with Gareth Bale. In Bale’s first year he wasn’t half of what he was at Tottenham…
“What James has lacked from Zidane is more confidence and little bit more respect.”