Real Madrid vs Eibar - No rest for Ronaldo as Zinedine Zidane focuses on Eibar encounter - 7M sport

Real Madrid vs Eibar - No rest for Ronaldo as Zinedine Zidane focuses on Eibar encounter



Posted Friday, April 08, 2016 by PA

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has no intention of resting star forward Cristiano Ronaldo for Saturday's visit of Eibar despite playing for their Champions League - and possibly his own - future just three days later.

Madrid welcome Wolfsburg to the Bernabeu on Tuesday needing to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit if they are to progress to the semi-finals.

Zidane accepts his side's season is on the line in that match - they are essentially eight points adrift of Barcelona in La Liga and out of the Copa del Rey - but that does not mean he is planning to rest all his big guns against Eibar.

The Frenchman told a pre-match press conference. "Cristiano is going to play tomorrow. There are going to be changes, but made to win tomorrow's game. Tuesday's is another match."

Madrid will have to do it the hard way if they are to claim an 11th European Cup title this season, but rather than being daunted by the task facing them against Wolfsburg, Zidane is relishing the challenge.

The 43-year-old, a Champions League winner as a player with Real in 2002, said: "On Tuesday we are playing for the season. We know that. It's an important game.

"Personally I like it when things are difficult, and the fans like it as well.

"Nobody expected the first leg to go like that, but sometimes football is like that."

There has been plenty of speculation about Zidane's long-term future as Madrid coach, especially if they get eliminated from Europe this coming week, but the World Cup winner is taking it all in his stride.

He said:" If they knock us out on Tuesday that's part of football. I accept my responsibility in this project and at the end of the season we'll see, but right now I'm calm."

Madrid cut the gap to Barca back to seven points with last weekend's impressive 2-1 win at the Nou Camp, but their inferior head-to-head record against the Catalan club this season means Real would miss out on the title if the teams finish level on points.

The odds are massively stacked against Madrid overhauling Barca, but Zidane is not willing to give up without a fight.

"What we have to do is not drop even a single point more in La Liga. The objective tomorrow is to win and nothing else," said the Real boss, who is set to be without compatriots Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane on Saturday.

Eibar have slumped down to ninth place after picking up just two points from their last seven games.

However, their 38-point total still leaves them 10 clear of the relegation zone and within touching distance of the 40-point mark that more often than not equates to safety in La Liga.

Midfielder Adrian Gonzalez, a former Real youth product, said: "We're close to securing survival and it would be a party if we can do it at the Bernabeu.

"We have to get to 40 points as soon as possible. We aren't nervous."

While Eibar would love to add to Madrid's problems this weekend, Adrian does not expect his old club to be suffering from any European hangover, saying: "I expect it to be the usual Real Madrid in the Bernabeu. They are used to going through good and bad moments and they know how to face them."



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