Real Madrid will leave for southeastern Spain tomorrow and will be hosted by newcomer Elche (Wednesday, 22:30), for the last game of 2020, as part of the 16th round of the Spanish league. The Blancos went on a Christmas break after the fifth straight win in the league, and will try to continue from the same point where they stopped. Coach Zinedine Zidane will have an almost full squad, with only Rodrigo absent.
“The team is in good shape and we are happy to return to play after a few days rest,” Zidane said at the press conference ahead of the game. It will definitely not be easy and we will have to keep working hard. We have to show what we are capable of for a full 90 minutes. “
About the opponent: “Elche is a good team that plays great football. It will be a tough opponent at home and it will not be easy. We have to show high ability and be at our best if we want to take the points. We have to do a good job as a team.”
On the condition of Eden Hazard: “Aden will be available tomorrow and we will want him to play a little. He is back to train with the team, and we want to use his football, which gives us advantages.”
Staff: “The players are all training well and that’s great news for a coach. They are highly professional and disciplined. Everyone works and they will get the opportunity to play. The players are in good shape and we will try to continue like this. I have confidence in all my players and I can not control what happens outside. They are all extremely focused and train wonderfully. That’s the important thing. “
“I am the coach and I choose the team together with my team,” Zidane continued. “The players are not involved in it, they just want to win games. There is a risk of injury when we play every three days and there have already been injuries, as in any other team. We have the best professionals here and we are guided by what they tell us. We never “We risk a player, but there is a threat that these things will happen, with the amount of games we have. We are doing well physically.”
Contract extensions for players whose contract will expire soon: “I have the best players here and I want things to work out quickly because it benefits everyone.”
Marcello and Isco: “I feel their pain when they are not playing because they are footballers, and they want to play just like everyone else. They have both done so much here and it is a difficult situation but it is the worst part of a coach. It is my responsibility and it will not change until my last day.”
2020: “We are happy and grateful for the ability to play football because there are people who get infected and have to deal with the virus. I think about them a lot and let’s hope it will only become a bad memory and everything will start to improve soon. At the sporting level we will try to keep doing the best we can. “.