Zinedine Zidane claims he would be outshone by Cristiano Ronaldo if they played together for Real Madrid ahead of the Champions League Final.
Speaking at a Press conference for Saturday’s showdown against Juventus in Cardiff, Zidane also suggested there were no favourites, Gareth Bale and Isco could coexist in the Madrid team and that he was expecting an “open” game.
“We’re ready, we’ve worked hard to get here, we’re in a very good moment and we’re ready,” began the Coach.
“Favouritism for Madrid? There’s no pressure, Madrid know how to handle times like this, it’s lived by players, Coaches and you as journalists.
“It’s a Final that can go either way. There are no favourites, really. We’ll try to do as much as possible.
“Sensations in Cardiff: "My feelings are the same. If I was told as a child that I’d experience all this, I wouldn’t believe it. I’m enjoying everything.
“But it’s not only me, it’s also the players because we’re experiencing something spectacular. It’s very nice to play in a Champions League Final.
“We know we’re playing against a great team and football fans want to see a great Final. Juve are not a team that only defend, they also attack very well.
“Historically, they’ve always had great teams, but now they have some very good, attacking players.
“Matchday squad? It’s a good question, it’s the hardest thing for me in this scenario because there are six players who aren’t going to feature, but they’re going to be on the bench and not in the stands, which is a bonus.
“But those who won’t play can still give things to the team. It’s part of my job and I’ll do it with all my conscience, but we’re all in the same boat.
“Ronaldo? He’s a good person because he cares about others, but what he stands out for is that he always wants to win. He has something inside, which makes him a great leader.
“Zidane and Ronaldo together in a team? If we played together, the star of the team would be Cristiano Ronaldo because he’s the one who scores goals.
“I don’t think it’ll be a tight game, I think it’s going to be an open match, and that’s the best thing for everyone."
“Bale or Isco? I’m not going to say who’s going to play. As I said last week, they are two players that can play together.
“Mijatovic’s winner in 1998? Everyone can say what they want, but [Dani] Alves wasn’t in that game to talk about it being offside. Still, I’m only thinking about the Final.
“The good thing about reaching a Final is that you don’t have to motivate the players. We’re not going to change anything that we did and we’re going to give it our all.
“Players know that’s the most important thing, giving their all.
“We’ll talk about the game, of course, but nothing more. Getting to a Final was our most important task of the season. Now we’re not going to change anything.
“Midfielders? It’s an important role, but the most difficult thing to do is scoring goals. I played football well, but I only scored fa ew goals. I got some important ones, but only a few.”
