Leganes vs Real Madrid - Zinedine Zidane staying focused on Leganes clash

Posted Wednesday, April 05, 2017 by PA

Real Madrid face derby rivals and fellow title hopefuls Atletico on Saturday but coach Zinedine Zidane insists he is not looking beyond Wednesday's short trip to lowly Leganes.

The league leaders are 10 points clear of Diego Simeone's Atletico and also have a game in hand over their city rivals as well as Barcelona, who sit two points behind in second place.

Victory for Real in the derby this weekend would all-but kill off Atletico's faint title hopes and keep Zidane's side in pole position.

But, with the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich also on the horizon, the Frenchman is refusing to look past the threat posed by 17th-placed Leganes.

"Nobody thinks that we'll easily beat Leganes because that doesn't happen in football", he said.

"It's an important match, like every game. We always think that the next game is the most important.

"I don't know if it's a potential banana skin, in the sense that they think we're going to win easy. Those games don't exist in football.

"It'll be a complicated match, at a difficult stadium and against an opponent who are doing very well lately".

Leganes, who are located on the outskirts of Madrid, may be languishing in the table but they are unbeaten since February having drawn their last three against Sevilla, Malaga and Real Sociedad.

That run has lifted them five points clear of the bottom three and raise hopes they can retain their LaLiga status, having been promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history last season.

Coach Asier Garitano said: "We're well. Pretty well. We're in good form and spirits are high after a good game at the Anoeta.

"We're now hoping to play a great game against Madrid."

Garitano will be unable to name the same side that drew at fifth-placed Sociedad as midfielder Erik Moran is suspended following a late booking, but the Leganes coach is giving little else away about his selection plans.

He said: "I have an idea how we're going to play. You'll see tomorrow. I'm not going to tell you if we're going to play with five or eight defenders.

"We need to replace Erik, but we're ok. We need to continue with the same mentality as we have been."

Zidane is without injured defender Raphael Varane, while he too was keeping his cards close to his chest about whether Cristiano Ronaldo and Dani Carvajal will be selected, with both players one booking away from a suspension.