After Real Madrid‘s 3-0 win over Las Palmas Saturday, Zinedine Zidane had nothing but good things to say about his team’s effort. Here is a recap of his post-match press conference.
All quotes come via the Real Madrid official website.
Opening Statement
"“There’s no such thing as a straightforward game, but it got easier for us after the first goal. Las Palmas need to pick up points, and once we’d got the first, it was a bit less complicated. The second half was very end-to-end, we created a lot of chances that we didn’t score. It was a good game for us, we’ve picked up three points and a lot of the guys who don’t get so many minutes played very well.”“I’m pleased with the players because after the international break we only had two days to get ready for this game. I took Nacho off as a precaution. He’s not feeling good, he’s got some discomfort. I hope it’s nothing serious, but we’ll send him for a scan tomorrow and see.”"
Why was Isco not included in the squad?
“He was carrying a knock and he stayed in Madrid.”
Praise for Gareth Bale
“I’m pleased with his performance. You’ll have to wait and see if he plays on Tuesday.”
Will Marcos Llorente stay with the team through the summer?
“We’ll see at the end of the season. We’re only concentrating on this year and what we’ve got left to achieve, which is the most important thing. He’s got some playing time, even if it’s not been as much as others.”
My thoughts
I am a bit surprised Zidane was so short in his post-match remarks after a rather dominant clean sheet. Despite Gareth Bale scoring two goals and picking apart the Las Palmas defense, Zizou only said one good thing about him.
Not to mention he wouldn’t clarify if Gareth will be in the lineup Tuesday in Turin which is ridiculous considering his recent run of form.
I also find it a bit odd that Isco was left out of the squad due to a lingering injury. While on international duty and in training leading up to the match, the midfielder showed no lingering effects of an injury.
Zidane’s recent press conferences have been much different from those in the past as he is much shorter and to the point. As to why this is, I am really not sure.
If Isco and Gareth Bale do not start or feature in the match against Juventus Tuesday, it will be one of the worst decisions Zizou has made in his stint as manager. As both of these guys showed over the international break, they can make plays and score goals in crunch time.
Next: Three takeaways from Real Madrid’s win against UD Las Palmas
I can’t think of anyone in the squad who is deserving of getting a start over these two play makers. While Lucas Vazquez has performed well on the right wing, Gareth is more deserving of starting in that position against a stout Juve defense.