Zinedine Zidane insists his Real Madrid side must be at their best if they are to triumph in Wednesday night’s El Clasico.
Los Blancos have lost just one league game this season – a defeat at Real Mallorca in October – but trail the Catalan giants on goal difference at the summit of La Liga.
Karim Benzema’s last gasp strike rescued a strike for Zidane’s side in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Valencia with their trip to the Camp Nou their toughest task of the season to date.
It is the first Clasico since the Frenchman returned to the Madrid hotseat back in March, while Madrid failed to win any of the four encounters last season – including falling to defeat in both league fixtures.
Their last trip to the Camp Nou in the stadium saw Madrid fall to a 5-1 defeat against a home side who were without Lionel Messi, in what was ultimately Julen Lopetegui’s last game at the helm.
“In games like this you've got to produce your best throughout the 90 minutes,” Zidane explained ahead of the encounter.
“Changing our plans due to security concerns? That's something different for us. We've been told that we have to leave together and that's what we'll do.
“There's nothing else to explain. The important thing is that the game goes ahead.”
