Real Betis vs Real Madrid - Zinedine Zidane happy with Real Madrid squad

Posted Saturday, January 23, 2016 by PA

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane will not be pushing club president Florentino Perez to make any new signings during the current transfer window, the Frenchman insisting he is happy with the squad he has got.

A transfer ban imposed on Madrid by FIFA recently means the club - unless they win an appeal - will not be able to register any new players until the summer of 2017 once the current window closes, but Zidane sees no need for reinforcements at present.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's trip to Real Betis, Zidane said: "It's not necessary to strengthen the squad. I'm very happy with the squad I've got. We've got 26 players and there are players not playing who are waiting to be called up.

"I'm not going to look outside the club for what there is inside."

Madrid have won both games since Zidane took over from Rafael Benitez, scoring 10 goals and conceding just one in seeing off Deportivo La Coruna and Sporting Gijon at home, but the former France star is not expecting things to continue to be as comfortable.

Madrid face their first away game under their new boss with the trip to Betis and, although the Seville-based side are in the bottom six and without a league win since November, Zidane is anticipating a testing time at the Benito Villamarin.

He said: "We've prepared very well for the game throughout the week. It will be difficult because we're playing away, but it won't change anything for us.

"What we need to try and do is start strongly from the first minutes. It means a lot for Betis to be playing against Madrid and we must be ready."

On whether the fact Betis have recently made a coaching change - Juan Merino taking caretaker charge following the dismissal of Pepe Mel - will affect his thinking, Zidane said: "If there's a change of coach, I'll look at the opponent then and during the week. But when the game starts, I look at us - on our game and what my players will do.

"We know how difficult tomorrow's game will be, but we will be focused."

Madrid will be without Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos through injury for the trip south as they look to keep up the pressure on top two Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

Losing in-form Bale is a blow to the capital club, but Betis boss Merino points out Madrid are no one-man team.

He said: "There's no Bale, but there are great players. They will still be the same team with the same quality. Whoever hasn't been playing will want to come in and impress."

Betis started the weekend just four points above the relegation zone but managed to end a run of three successive defeats with a morale-boosting 0-0 draw at high-flying Villarreal last weekend.

Now, Merino is looking to build on that result.

"The feelings are good, we've trained with a lot of intensity and we're doing things well. When I took over everything was different because the results were negative," he said.

"The Villarreal result will serve to motivate us, and we know playing like that we will be closer to getting victories than defeats.

"You have to have everything working to be able to beat Madrid. We will have to take advantage of our chances and for them not to have their best day."

Merino is without Cristiano Piccini, Ricky Van Wolfswinkel and Rafael Van der Vaart, with Dani Ceballos and fit-again goalkeeper Dani Gimenez returning.