Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid - Zidane trusts Bale - 7M sport

Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid - Zidane trusts Bale



Posted Saturday, August 20, 2016 by PA

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has faith Gareth Bale can minimise the effect of losing fellow forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema for Sunday's clash with Real Sociedad.

With Ronaldo and Benzema both unfit for the trip to San Sebastian, Bale is the only member of Madrid's much-vaunted 'BBC' strikeforce who will be available for the European champions' LaLiga opener.

However, the Wales international has an impressive record at Anoeta, scoring in each of his three matches there for Madrid, and Zidane has no doubts Bale can take on the mantle of attacking figurehead.

The Frenchman said at Saturday's press conference: "Yes (he can be leader), but like always. He's an important player in this team. He showed that last season and I think he can continue in the same way this season.

"He wants to continue making history with this great club. It's an important year for him, and for the others."

Madrid go into the match on the back of an impressive run in pre-season, beating Sevilla to win the UEFA Super Cup as well as downing Bayern Munich and Chelsea in the International Champions Cup.

Zidane is now hoping they can continue that form against Sociedad and improve on their start to last season, when they were held to a goalless draw at Sporting Gijon in their first match.

"We know that we have to start well and go out strong. We know that the opening stages of a competition are very important," said Zidane, whose side finished a point behind champions Barcelona last season.

"It's going to be a difficult game. We're ready and we're going to see what happens there. We then have two games at home and we want to start well."

Madrid are also without Luka Modric and Pepe for the trip north, but it is the fact Ronaldo will not be playing that Sociedad striker William Jose is most happy about.

The Brazilian knows Ronaldo well, having spent time on loan at Madrid in 2014, and he said of the Portugal captain's absence: "It's a relief.

"He's one of the best players in the world and can make the difference in a match, although we have to be wary of the rest of the team as well."

The 24-year-old added of his stint at the Bernabeu: "I have good memories of my time there, it was a great experience and I met a lot of fantastic players, some of whom ended up winning the Champions League and Copa del Rey.

"I was enormously proud to be there and it was a great experience."

Sociedad are planning to pay tribute to the club's former striker Dalian Atkinson during the match. Atkinson, who spent the 1990-91 season with Sociedad, scoring 12 goals, died on Monday aged 48 after he was Tasered by police in Telford in England.

The Sociedad players will wear black armbands, and supporters are set to applaud in the ninth minute, in recognition of the shirt number the Englishman most regularly wore during his time in San Sebastian.



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