Zidane: Real Madrid must play a great game for 90 minutes... or longer

Posted Tuesday, March 06, 2018 by Marca.com

The biggest match of Real Madrid's season so far will take place at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday night and Zinedine Zidane has insisted that his players are ready to overcome whatever obstacles Paris Saint-Germain come up with.

With a 3-1 lead from the first leg, the Spanish side are in the driving seat, but Zidane isn't expecting it to be easy.

"We are here to play a great game of football and we are all prepared," he said at his pre-match press conference.

"We are focussed and ready to play.

"Starting with the scoreboard in your favour means nothing.

"We must be ready for the unexpected.

"We'll have to play a great game for 90 minutes or longer.

"We are used to the pressure."

Asked what it felt like to return to France, Zidane joked that Paris isn't really home given that he's from Marseille.

"It is special, though," he added.

"But we come here to play a football match.

"It will be a fiery atmosphere, but you always know it will be when a team faces Real Madrid."

As for his thoughts on the referee's role in deciding the tie, Zidane played down the pre-emptive talk of controversy.

"It will be 11 versus 11, with a referee who will do his job," he said.

"[As for who will feature in the XI], I have been doing this for two years.

"It's part of my job.

"I will pick an XI once again tomorrow."

There has been a lot of talk over whether or not Luka Modric and Toni Kroos will feature, given that they are just back from injury, and Zidane suggested they'd only be used if fully fit.

"Players have to be 100 percent," he said.

"I will never select a player who is 70 percent.

"I consider all of our players ready to be able to play tomorrow."Of course, PSG will be without the injured Neymar in their lineup and Zidane was asked what his absence means.

"[Neymar's absence] doesn't change anything, yet it changes everything because he is an exception player," he said.

"It doesn't change anything because there'll be another player who'll be extra motivated to play well.

"[Angel Di Maria] can play in any position, as he moves well, shoots well and is quick.

"We will try to play our game."

The match kicks off at 20:45 CET on Tuesday evening.