Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane said neighbours Atletico Madrid are favourites to win LaLiga this season.
Madrid play host to unbeaten LaLiga leaders Atletico at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in Saturday s derby, with Diego Simeone s visitors holding a one-point advantage over Real Sociedad atop the table.
Defending champions Madrid are six points off the pace and Zidane believes Atletico are in the box seat to claim their first league crown since 2013-14.
Asked if Atletico are favourites for LaLiga glory, Zidane told reporters on Friday: Yes, for sure.
That s what they re showing on the pitch. They re doing things well and competing. They ve always been competitive and they re first right now.
What interests us is what we re going to do. It ll be a good game of football and one that fans have marked in the diaries and one that the players want to play.
What we want in each match is to show what team we are, without thinking about whether we ll win the league title. We want to win each match. We re competitive.
Final prep done and now the Madrid derby awaits!
INSIDE TRAINING: |
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden)
Atletico have failed to win in their last eight LaLiga games against Madrid – drawing five matches and losing three – after winning four of the previous six against their rivals in the competition.
But Atletico have won their last seven LaLiga games, keeping a clean sheet in six matches – last winning eight or more in a row in the competition in March-April 2014.
After winning his first LaLiga game as coach against Atletico s Simeone in February 2016, Madrid boss Zidane is unbeaten in his last six games against the Argentinian in the league.
As usual we are always talking about finals, every game is a final here, Zidane added. I see it as another opportunity to show what we are about as a team.
We know where we are. What we want is to play a great football match, just as we did the other day.
