Zinedine Zidane insists Atletico Madrid can be caught at the top of the table, with the Real Madrid coach adamant the title is not out of reach for Los Blancos nor Barcelona. (More Football News)
Madrid have won five of their last six games in all competitions, recovering from a January slump that saw them knocked out of the Spanish Supercopa and Copa del Rey and beaten in La Liga by Levante. Barcelona have moved back up to second in the La Liga table thanks to a impressive 5-1 win at home to Alaves. Ronald Koeman’s side have looked a different outfit in 2021, with their victory over the Basque club their seventh straight win in league action. It brings them back to within eight points. Zinedine Zidane is preparing for Real Madrid's La Liga match against Atletico next weekend. AP Photo Omnisport 2021-03-01T13:16:11+05:30 Real Madrid Coach Zinedine Zidane Adamant Atletico Can Be.
Atletico lead the way in Spain's top flight and until recently looked to be running away with it, but their position has become a little less commanding after dropping points in three of their previous five league games.
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A win at Villarreal on Sunday will put Atletico five points clear of Barca once again while still having a game in hand – Madrid, one point further back, will have also played one match more than their local rivals after Monday's visit of fifth-placed Real Sociedad.
Zidane is also seemingly not ruling out Sevilla despite the fact Julen Lopetegui's side lost 2-0 at home to Barca on Saturday, meaning they could end the weekend 10 points adrift of the summit.
While some are framing Atletico's position at the top as the most pressured, Zidane prefers to see it as Diego Simeone's men having an advantage, as the two Madrid giants prepare to tussle next weekend.
'Now the league [title race] is three, tomorrow it will be two and then four again,' Zidane told reporters on Sunday.' Everyone has their opinion.
'LaLiga is open to all and whoever is ahead has the advantage, but there are many points left and we are going to continue with our business.
Our 21-man squad for the match against @RealSociedad! #RealMadridRealSociedadpic.twitter.com/LECYnS9H79
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) February 28, 2021'We do our thing. What's going to happen tonight, I don't know, and we don't even have to watch it – I will watch it as a fan.
'There are 42 points at stake and it is our objective is to add the maximum possible points.'
Karim Benzema and Eden Hazard returning from injury would surely improve Madrid's fortunes, with the Frenchman last playing on February 14 and the former Chelsea star a month into his layoff with a thigh issue.
While both are getting closer to a return, Zidane still does not have a return date for either.
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'Benzema and Hazard are better, but they are not ready,' he said. 'I cannot give a date, they will recover later than those who have already returned. I can't give an exact date.'
Sergio Ramos is another player Madrid have had to cope without recently, with the captain absent since mid-January with a knee injury – not that it has stopped the centre-back dominating many of Zidane's news conferences since.
day to go!
@RealSociedadEN#RMCity #RealMadridRealSociedadpic.twitter.com/ihbKw44yf3
Ramos' contract is up at the end of the season and it remains to be seen if he will agree to an extension, which, to Zidane's frustration, is becoming a regular topic.
'You always ask me the same thing – he's an impressive man. I want him to get fit, but apart from that, nothing else. Tomorrow we have a game,' Zidane said.