Real Madrid will resume the Champions League on Wednesday evening with the first meeting with Atalanta in the eighth finals. During the press conference leading up to the game, Zinedine Zidane indicated that Atalanta will undoubtedly play very offensively. The Real Madrid trainer sees a parallel in this with the Ajax of two seasons ago.
“I don’t like to compare teams, but they are both very attacking teams with a lot of individual quality and physical strength,” Zidane responded to a question. “It will certainly be an attractive competition. We don’t know our opponent through and through. I do know that we have to play our own game, while at the same time adapting to their playing style ”, acknowledged the trainer.
Ajax stunted two years ago in the Champions League by eliminating Real Madrid in the eighth finals. Zidane’s team won 1-2 in Amsterdam, but then lost 1-4 at home. A big disappointment for that the Royal, who had won the Champions League three times in a row under Zidane in the years before. Last season, Real Madrid again stranded in the eighth finals: Manchester City was twice too strong 2-1.
Wednesday will be quite a puzzle for Zidane, who is facing a number of personnel problems. Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo, among others, will not be present due to injuries. “There is no reasonable explanation for all injuries. But it should not be an excuse, we are ready ”, the Frenchman explains. “We know what it feels like to make it to the final and plan to do it again. A club like Real can only be satisfied with a profit. ”
Zidane spoke with a lot of awe about the Italian opponent and the way of playing, but he also praised the working method of Gian Piero Gasperini, who was a youth coach during Zidane’s time at Juventus. “I like him as a trainer. Atalanta has proven themselves on the field, and with two, three new faces they have become even better. ”
Gasperini also discussed the clash with the Royal and also spoke highly of his fellow trainer. “They are used to playing like this in this league and they are very dangerous even without those injured players. I wouldn’t be really worried until Zidane played tomorrow, but luckily he’s just sitting on the bench ”, Gasperini said with a smile. “During his time at Juventus I was a youth coach there. Sometimes I waited to see him train. ”