Zinedine Zidane maintains belief that Real Madrid can pip Barcelona to the Primera Division title during the final round of fixtures this weekend.
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There was no Luka Modric or Gareth Bale in Zidane’s starting line-up – both players are injured – while the likes of goalkeeper Kiko Casilla and defender Raphael Varane came in too after the UEFA Champions League semi-final win over Manchester City.
“We have not won anything at the moment”, he said.
Nevertheless, Simeone – who served the second game of his three-match touchline ban – preferred to look at the positives of his side’s season. After the remaining games, we’ll see what we’re going to do at the end of the season.
Real Madrid kept alive their hopes of an unlikely La Liga title success with a hard fought 3-2 win over Valencia in the Bernabeu.
The loss snapped Valencia’s four-game unbeaten run which also eliminated them in the hunt for a Europa League berth next season.
Cristiano Ronaldo netted twice either side of a Karim Benzema goal for the home side while Valencia responded through Rodrigo and Andre Gomes. “They defended well, didn’t let us combine beyond chances for Antoine Griezmann and Stefan Savic”, Simeone argued, AS reports.
Substitute Rafinha Alcantara and Neymar wrapped up the victory with strikes in the closing stages as Barca eased to a fourth straight win, in which they have scored 21 goals without conceding.
Godin hurt his hamstring on April 20 at the start Atleti’s match against Athletic Bilbao, an injury that forced him to miss two La Liga games and the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.
The 1998 World Cup victor took time to praise defender Alvaro Arbeloa who looks set feature at some point in his last home game for the club with no talks planned over a new deal.
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Meanwhile, Valencia fell to fourth-running team Villarreal CF, 0-2, at their home ground of Mestalla Stadium last Sunday, as per The Sun.
