Real Madrid: Zinedine Zidane focuses on six goals scored, not the three allowed
By Ben Sundock
While it was a stunning performance Sunday from Real Madrid offensively, the 6-3 win over Girona furthered many fan’s concerns with the team’s defense. However, manager Zinedine Zidane did not want to focus on the defensive struggles. Here is what the gaffer had to say after the win.
All quotes come via the Real Madrid official website.
Opening Statement and praise for Ronaldo
"“He’s a very important player for us. He transmits an important and positive energy to the group. He knows himself very well and knows when he has to stop a little. He’s always in very good form come the end of the season. He’s got an eye for goal and he’ll never lose that. Cristiano has scored 22 goals, three behind Messi and hopefully, he can catch him, it’s important for him and for us too. When he’s playing well, the team plays well.”“He’s unbelievably ambitious and that comes across in every training session and in everything he does on the pitch. If he has a penalty in training, he will take it with the maximum concentration. It’s what makes him different from the rest. He’s an important player for our team, but others help him a lot. For example, the move with Karim or Lucas Vázquez’s goal. We scored amazing goals today and that’s down to the whole team.”"
On the team’s good form
“We’re only interested in carrying on like this. We want to try to take second place. We’ve rediscovered our confidence in recent matches. We’ve scored lots of goals at home of late. It’s something that we didn’t do at the start of the season. We’re on good form at the moment and on a positive run. I’m happy for all the players because we’ve never thrown the towel in. We’re going to try to continue in this vein.”
“The fact that Lucas and (Marco) Asensio have been playing of late is because they deserve to. They’re performing well and I value the job that they both do, the same goes for all of the other members of the squad. We’ve also produced some really good performances with other players in the team.”
“Bale is now fit, he got a goal and is here with the group. There are still a lot of games to come and we want to continue on in this vein. Now most of them go off to join up with their national teams and we’ve got a LaLiga game when they come back and the Juventus tie.”
Thoughts on the goals conceded
“We’re in good shape, but we’ve got to look at the finer details. We’re happy with the win and to have scored six, but we’re not pleased about conceding three goals and all from set pieces. We were aware just how much of a threat they were from deadball situations. The goals owed to a lack of concentration on our part. Just after we’d scored, they came pouring forward straight away.”
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My thoughts
I am pretty disappointed to see Zidane saying things like this after giving up three goals to recently promoted Girona at home.
This has happened a couple times this year when Real Madrid get rolling offensively, they tend to relax a little too much on the defensive side of the field. We saw it in the 5-3 win over Real Betis and we saw it again Sunday.
The defense is slacking, clearly. It doesn’t matter who is starting, this team gives up goals they consistently should not. Last season, the defense was stout and deserves the majority of the praise for helping the club to a La Liga and Champions League title. The 2016/2017 team allowed just 41 goals through 38 matches.
This season, through 29 matches, they have allowed 33 goals. Yes, I agree with Zidane saying the offense showing was impressive. But, the defensive shortcomings need to be addressed now.
Juventus is a very good attacking team and with nine La Liga matches to play, Real Madrid needs to win every single game.
Next: Three takeaways from Real Madrid’s 6-3 win vs Girona
Lucas Vazquez continues to impress and has shown that he deserves to remain a starter after bagging yet another goal after another start.
As for Cristiano Ronaldo, what more can you say about the GOAT? He seemingly breaks a record every time he steps on the pitch to the point it’s getting difficult to keep track of them all.