Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has dismissed talk that Juventus’ domestic competition has left them ill-prepared for big Champions League tests.
The Old Lady were beaten 4-1 in last year’s final by Zidane’s side and are on the verge of being eliminated by the Spanish giants in the quarter-finals this time after last week’s 3-0 defeat in Turin.
The Bianconeri are closing in on their seventh-successive domestic title, while Real are only fourth in the table in Spain. Asked if Serie A was weaker than La Liga, Zidane – who played for Juve from 1996 until 2001’s move to Madrid – replied: “I don’t think it is weak.
“I think La Liga is the best league to be in because every game is difficult – things can go awry right up to the final game.”
Zidane, who will be without the banned Sergio Ramos, has also warned his players not to start contemplating who they could potentially meet in the last four or final.
💪⚽🔥 Get ready for the big game! #HalaMadrid #APorLa13 pic.twitter.com/4DS3katghV
— Real Madrid C.F.🇺🇸🇬🇧 (@realmadriden) April 10, 2018
“The 3-0 result will not change things for us,” he stressed.
“It’s another game and what happened, happened. It was a good game, but there is still 50 per cent of the tie to be played.
“We will have to put in another great game to pass through. I’m only interested in tomorrow’s match.
“We have one final and it is tomorrow. Then we will see if we get through, and then who we have to face, but we must not think beyond tomorrow’s game.”
Juve’s task is all the more difficult because Paulo Dybala is suspended having been dismissed in the first leg.
Defender Giorgio Chiellini believes that, at the very least, a strong performance at the home of the reigning champions would be beneficial for Juventus’ next European campaign.
Giorgio Chiellini attends a training session.
“For long stretches of the first leg we would have deserved much more than a draw but instead we found ourselves two goals down and a man less,” he said.
“We’re not crying about what happened, and we go to Madrid with the desire to play a good game.
“In football and in life you never know what can happen, and to go there and put on a good display, even in view of next year, would be important.”
