The manager of Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane has vowed not to take any risk against Chelsea when the Spanish La Liga giants face the Premier League club later today.
At 20:00, on Wednesday, May 5, Real Madrid will battle with Chelsea in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final round. Both sides need a win to scale through to the final of the competition.
However, Chelsea are going into the game with the advantage of having one away goal against Madrid. Based on their 1-1 draw in the first leg of the round, a 0-0 draw will be enough for Chelsea to make it to the final for the third time in the club’s history.
Zinedine Zidane who has won three successive Champions League titles with Real Madrid, from the 2015-2016 season to the 2017-2018 season knows that for him to return Real Madrid to such a glorious period, he has to beat Chelsea tonight.
Hence, the French tactician is set to put everything on the line to ensure that Real Madrid leave England with the victory which will be enough to take them to the final.
To ensure that he archives this, a player that Zinedine Zidane would not leave on the bench at this point is the club’s captain Sergio Ramos who was not available for the club in the first league of the encounter due to a series of injuries he has been battling with.
The Spanish defender has been certified fit ahead of the must-win game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and the coach confirmed that the legendary defender who can also score goals is ready to play for Madrid tonight.
“I’m not going to be taking a risk, Sergio is with us and that means that he is ready to play; that’s it,” said Zidane.
“We’re in the Champions League semi-finals, we are all going to fight to the death out there on the pitch. All the players are ready to play, and then of course I have to pick a team.
“All the players are ready to play, don’t worry.”
🙌 ¡DÍA DE PARTIDO! 🙌
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) May 5, 2021
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🔀 Semifinales | Vuelta
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Zinedine Zidane says Hazard is prepared for Chelsea
Zinedine Zidane’s drive to beat Chelsea has been boosted by the return of the club’s pacing winger, Eden Hazard. The Belgium star who has been struggling for form since he joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019 could make the difference tonight if Zidane deems him fit to play.
The French coach said on Tuesday that the former Chelsea’s talisman is prepared for the game and it would be great if he could give his best for the team if he is given the chance to play.
“We’re going to need Eden”, Zidane noted. “We know what a good player he is, and he’s definitely going to be helping the team.
“Eden is here with us, he’s ready, he’s prepared. We know the quality that he has. He’s going to bring his natural game and he’s going to show what he wants to do out there. I’m pleased with that.”
Any club that wins tonight’s game between Chelsea and Real Madrid, will face Manchester City in the final of the competition on May 29 in Istanbul, Turkey.
