Zinedine Zidane appeared in Movistar LaLiga's flash interview after Real Madrid's important victory against Granada. These are the impressions of the white coach.
Sixth victory in a row: “Very hard working match. It is a very difficult game. We talked about it in the preview that it was going to be very fucked up. They came to press up, very good, the first part was difficult, the second was better. I'm happy for them because it's not easy at all, but we deserved the victory ”.
Granada pressed: “We were better in the second half, we recovered more balls. In the first part they won the duels, they complicated our lives in the first part, it was known. We won against a good team, which comes from doing very good results. You have to be happy because after six games won … thanks to the players, really ”.
Casemiro says that you are heavy and that he insists you go up to finish: “We know that he arrives, that we know what he is defensively but also offensively. The play was very nice, he comes from the second row and is good upside down. I'm happy for him and for the team ”.
After the intervention as soon as the game ended, Zidane appeared at a telematic press conference to analyze the meeting.
Wish for 2021: “We are going to continue working well. We are happy with the six consecutive victories. We will have to continue fighting as we are doing. I only ask for that. The first thing, that they rest two or three days with the family and then, to work again ”.
Hazard: “I did not consider it appropriate for him to play because in the end it was a difficult game. You have to do things in the moment and I did not want to risk with him. We are going to rest, and little by little he will join the team ”.
Rotations: “You always look for the same thing. I'm going to count on everyone. I answer the same thing, worse nothing happens. You ask and I answer ”.
Good month of December: “The players know that we have difficult moments in the games, but we have continued to prepare the games well. We are going to lose matches, but we are going to try to win them. From time to time, we will be happy with the six victories. I'm happy for the players. They put up with criticism and now they have to enjoy what they did. I congratulate all my players ”.
Goals from Kroos, Modric and Casemiro: “They can do it and they are doing it. We are all arriving a little more, but the credit goes to everyone, not just the three media. There is still a long season left and we have to continue like this ”.
Diego Martínez: “We always respect what the referee says”
Diego Martinez, coach of the Pomegranate, said this Wednesday at a press conference, after the 2-0 defeat against Real Madrid, that your team always respects what the referees say and did not want to assess a possible penalty from Casemiro on Yangel Herrera in the second half.
“We always respect what the referee says. They decide those actions and we respect them. Later (when he received a yellow card) I told the referee things about the game. Nothing special, “he explained. Martinez was very satisfied with the work his players completed throughout the 90 minutes but regretted the lack of success in the last meters.
“In the second half we let loose a little more. We could have done more damage. The arreón with 1-0 below, with the belief and passion of the last stretch of the game … it was felt that the rival saw the result in danger. With that we have to stay. We have had options. We have not had the success of other occasions, “he said.
“The team finished the game very well physically. We have put the rival in the opposite field. The game was very open. I don't think that today was a question of accumulated fatigue. We have squeezed ourselves to the maximum and, when you compete well, with the exception of the success in front of the rival goal … I think that today we would have finished the same with two more days of rest. They are demanding games and we finished on a good note, “he added.
Questioned by the performance of Jesús Vallejo, who covered Casemiro in the action of the first Real Madrid goal, he declared that he does not make “individual evaluations” while defending his player. “I give Vallejo a good grade. To all players. We are a humble team. It is a challenge to come to this field to face this great team. In general, the performance of the team has been quite good beyond the fact that we would have liked to take a point “.
In addition, he talked about the days off his team will have: “It's curious. We deserve those two days of vacation. But with COVID, let's hope there will be no setback around. It is the moment that we have to live. The mind of a coach is difficult to disconnect. The group deserves it, they have given their best. In no time we have Valencia and then there is a great density of games. Take great care of ourselves, rest and return to the same level, “he concluded.