Barcelona vs. Real Madrid: Zinedine Zidane's Key Quotes from El Clasico Presser

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has insisted he’s feeling relaxed ahead of Saturday’s Clasico showdown against Barcelona.

The Frenchman, who replaced Rafael Benitez in January, will be on the sidelines for one of these momentous football occasions for the first time at the Camp Nou. And when addressing the press ahead of this one, he seemed unflustered by the looming spectacle, which has fazed so many in the past, per ESPN FC’s Dermot Corrigan:

Indeed, Zidane, while admitting it’s a game that he has always looked forward to, sought to play down the significance of the rivalry, choosing to focus on the fine football: 

It’s a venue at which Real haven’t had much fortune down the years. The last time the team won at the Camp Nou was in the 2011-12 season, which is their only league triumph at the stadium in the last nine years.

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While Barcelona have had wonderful teams during that time, so too have Real and that’s a record many Madridistas will view as not good enough. Even the coveted attacking trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema have failed to fire Los Blancos to a win as a unit over their big rivals yet.

Zidane was asked about that particular statistic and said he feels as though Saturday’s game is the ideal time to alter that:

The last time these three lined up in a Clasico things did not go to plan for Real. Benitez opted for an uncharacteristically cavalier approach to the game and that allowed Barcelona space to attack at will, with Neymar and Luis Suarez running riot in a 4-0 win.

It’s a result Real will have to learn their lessons from, although Zidane has insisted he feels his team have gotten over that harrowing experience and have spent time looking forward:

One player who featured in the previous meeting was James Rodriguez, and he has come in for a lot of criticism this season after some underwhelming displays. 

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As reported by Agustin Martin of AS, Madrid are said to be unhappy with the Colombian after comments he made on international duty which suggested he wasn’t getting enough backing at the Bernabeu. “When you play and have everyone’s support it’s easier,” was his response when asked why there is such a contrast in form between his club and international form.

Zidane was quizzed about the player and said that he’d be disappointed if Rodriguez was contented with his current status at the club:

The Frenchman was also asked about some previous run-ins with the Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. As we can see courtesy of Mubarak, the two never quite saw eye-to-eye when they went up against each other in this fixture previously:

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Barcelona vs Real Madrid this weekend! When Luis Enrique & Zinedine Zidane met as players, this happened! https://t.co/2ZWa61MdR6

— Mubarak (@mubs7) March 31, 2016"

But Zidane suggested there is no longer much needle between the two coaches:

It’ll be a momentous occasion for Zidane, who will be keen to ensure his side don’t suffer another defeat at the hands of their great rivals. He’s an emotional character and a man who knows all too well what this fixture is about. But it’s important he sets an example to his players, who have been prone to losing their cool in this one.

With the title almost certainly gone, the pressure is arguably off Los Blancos here. Memories of the 4-0 loss will still be raw, so expect a more pragmatic approach to be employed by the Frenchman in comparison to his predecessor. If he can somehow smuggle three points away from the Camp Nou, it’d be the perfect kick-start for his tenure.