Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane refused to rule out deploying a player to man-mark Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar ahead of the Champions League last-16 first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Asked if he would replicate a tactic used against Lionel Messi in the Clasico last December, Zidane said: ‘I don’t think I should tell you. We will see tomorrow.’
Pressed on the threat posed by Neymar and how he currently matches up to Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane defended his talisman saying: ‘Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards and I am not going to compare them at this moment. Everything that Neymar does on the pitch is of great quality and he can make the difference but they are two great players and this is Real Madrid v PSG not Neymar v Cristiano.’
Zinedine Zidane would not be drawn on whether Real Madrid will man-mark PSG’s Neymar
Gareth Bale (2nd right) is expected to start for Real Madrid after recovering from injury
Gareth Bale is expected to start the game for Real Madrid and Zidane was quizzed on why the Welshman is yet to play a full 90 minutes since coming back from injury.
The French coach said: ‘There is no concrete reason for it. It’s normal that the forwards get taken off. Towards the end of games.’
Asked about the pressure of a game that will decide the fate of Madrid’s season and his own future as Real Madrid coach, Zidane added: ‘We don’t have any added pressure. We live for this. The players live for this. The people want to see a great game.
‘I am not thinking about my future. I’m concentrating on this game. I am focusing on making sure we do well in this game.
‘This is not a final. We have to play good football. If you play good football with the players that we have then we have a good chance.’
Zidane insists there is more to the game than just Neymar(pictured) vs Cristiano Ronaldo