Zinedine Zidane insists Real Madrid are not favourites for the ‘50/50’ Champions League final against Liverpool on Saturday.
The Frenchman reiterated there was nobody within the Madrid dressing room who believed they were favoured to win Saturday night’s encounter.
“It does not matter what people say, this is 50/50, like any final is,” Zidane told reporters on Friday.
“We must be at our best level to win this but nobody believes we are the favourites, you cannot think like that for any final.
“It is always tough to choose your team for a final and it is never easy for a Coach, there are some very hard words to be said.
“When a person is told they will not even put the shirt on, that is my decision, my responsibility and I must manage that natural disappointment.
“Cristiano? He is in good condition, perfect – he lives for matches of this calibre, as you can see by his record.
“Our run to the final? It was not easy but you have to credit the hard work of the players, which is a fundamental value of Real Madrid.
“Am I appreciated? The only important thing for me is to do well, to win matches and the talk will be dictated by that.”
