El Clasico should be a good encounter, hopes Zinedine Zidane
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has claimed that the El Clasico against Barcelona will be played with full security and it will be an entertaining match. The rescheduled Clasico is set to be played on 18th December but there are fears over security after threats of mass protests in Catalonia.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are preparing to fight in the 2019/20 season's first Clasico, but with even more build-up and pressure than usual as Zinedine Zidane has maintained that people just want to watch a good match between the two rivals. Security is tight ahead of the rearranged fixture, but Zidane is hoping that all the focus will be on events which take place on the pitch. The Clasico was to take place on 26th October but was delayed and rescheduled to 18th December due to civil unrest in Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia.
“On the outside, this can be a week where many things are said, but people just want to watch a good football match. In the end, we have to put our energy out on the pitch. We believe the match is going to be played,” said the Frenchman to Marca.
Lionel Messi is set to play his 42nd El Clasico and currently holds the record for most goals and assists in the tie. The Argentine has scored 26 goals for Blaugrana and everyone expected Zidane to have a special plan for the maestro. However, the former Los Blancos player admitted that there aren’t any specific plans and the 13-time Champions League winners have other weapons.
“It's a football match and that's the important thing. We know what we're facing, we know they have Messi, but we also have our weapons. We want to play a good match against Barcelona, who also hope to do the same,” said Zidane.
Zidane has been credited with the masterstroke of introducing Casemiro into the Real Madrid senior team early on in his first spell as coach, and it appears as though he is looking to achieve the same success with Fede Valverde, a player whom he admires very much.
“We have found Valverde at Real Madrid. He is someone that is doing very well and that is the value of this club, we've always had the best players. Looking ahead, we're all focused on tomorrow's match and I have to decide things,” concluded the 47 year old Madrid boss.