Let´s talk about football – Zidane bored by Clasico controversy

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane wants to swiftly move on from the latest Clasico controversy and get back to talking about football.

European champions Madrid were unable to end rivals Barcelona’s unbeaten LaLiga run on Sunday despite playing over 45 minutes against 10 men in a typically feisty encounter at Camp Nou.

And while many media outlets continue to focus on what was allegedly said by certain players before and after Sergi Roberto’s red card, Zidane has little interest in prolonging the conversation.

“You’re asking me about polemic issues? That comes from you,” the coach told reporters with a smile. “There is too much talking. Let’s talk about the game of football, rather than the controversial stuff.”

Zidane had earlier refused to speculate on Lionel Messi’s role in the action – Sergio Ramos accused the Barca man of putting pressure on the referee – while he made little of Gerard Pique’s apparent clash with Madrid players in the tunnel.

“I’m not going to speak about [Messi],” he said. “It’s about the players on the pitch – us as well. It stays out on the pitch.

14′ @Cristiano
72′ @GarethBale11 #RMClasico | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/po3A6ZDnyT

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) May 6, 2018

“Now there are cameras everywhere. Before, a lot of things happened but it stayed in the dressing room. The cameras are the league’s cameras. Before, there weren’t cameras.

“I’m not here to talk about what happened the other day, with one player or all the players. People know what happened. Nothing is going to change. It’s all talk. What for? It doesn’t mean anything.

“We drew the other day, that’s it. It’s over.”

Madrid head to Sevilla next, on Wednesday, and Zidane expects a tough test against the eighth-placed side.

“When we are playing against a team with a lot on the line, we have to make a good start,” he added. “At home, they will try to pressure us.

“We have to do things well right from the start. The longer we do things well, the better chance we have of getting something out of the game.”