REAL MADRID-LAS PALMAS | ZIDANE
Zidane: "I'm proud of my team - they respect referees"
The coach sent a message to Gerard Piqué: "I'm proud of my team because they respect referees. I can understand that might annoy some people..."
Zidane previews Las Palmas game
Zinedine Zidane looked ahead to tomorrow's visit from Las Palmas and also spoke about the problematic refereeing decision made by Gil Manzano at the Estadio de la Cerámica, as well as the declarations made by Villarreal president Fernando Roig and Gerard Piqué...
How is the team physically? “It's always going to be this way, every three days we have a game and we know how important every match is - whether it's in LaLiga or the Champions League, we know what each game means and we are ready. We would have liked more time to recover but we accept the situation - it's the same for our opponents. We're ready for Las Palmas”.
Complaints after the Villarreal game
Fernando Roig's comments: “I don't interfere with the referee's job, and nor do my players; they have a lot of respect for what match officials do. I have a fantastic group of players in that respect; all they want is to do things right. I can understand that might annoy some people. I am very proud of my players because they have a great deal of respect referees and the job they do. I'll defend them to the death”.
But what are your thoughts on those declarations? “I have just answered the question; I am not going to enter into it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I don't agree with his words in this case but what matters to me is my players, who are fantastic, respectful and professional”.
Isco and Morata, Madrid's subs
Morata and Isco miffed at their secondary role: “Very good - nice joke. Did you see how they entered the field? That's what interests me. I don't care about the rest.
"We have 24 players in the squad and I have to choose 11. That is one of the difficulties of my job. You know what I think about Isco and Morata. They do their job. If you field a player 14 times then leave him out, he's going to be upset. But that's good for him and good for me because I cannot please everyone and as far as I am concerned, all of my players are important".
A pop at Piqué
Piqué's Twitter message: “Everyone can air their views. Nobody can stop that. But there's no truth in what he says. We do what we do out on the pitch and I am proud of my players because they respect referees. We try to entertain the paying public. Madrid has always been a professional club and respectful towards football”.
Do you regret not fielding Isco and Morata in Valencia? “A coach can make mistakes and maybe I might have got it wrong that day but we didn't play so badly against Valencia for 80 minutes. We had a poor 10 minutes without the ball. I don't like seeing my team concede two goals but sometimes it's inevitable”.
Will Benzema always start as long as he's fit? “He'll play when I decide. Tomorrow's game is a different story and we'll see who plays. All of the players are important and all of them will be needed at certain points”.
Zidane's well wishes for Jesé - from Thursday...
Jesé at Las Palmas: “I hope they've got it right with his move there. I wish him well - from Thursday onwards. I hold him in high regard as a player and as a person”.
Real Madrid vs Las Palmas coverage | LaLiga Santander
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