Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says he is not bothered about the rumours that Jose Mourinho could replace him as the Los Blancos manager.
On Thursday, Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Real Madrid 3-0 in their Champions League encounter. Post the loss, Zidane has been under severe criticism, including the Spanish media reporting that Real president Florentino Perez would be keen to recruit former coach Mourinho should Zidane be relieved of his duties.
“If I read the press, it says I’m gone,” Zidane was quoted by Goal during a media conference. “I feel strong. I have learned to never back down and to keep working until the very last moment.
“I’m not thinking about leaving. I’m only thinking of winning tomorrow (Monday). The difficulties that they speak of on the outside are something we can’t control.
“I made the decision to come back because I liked the look of the new project. Now I am here, I will try. We have to be together to achieve our objectives.”
Asked about speculation that Mourinho could replace him, Zidane added, “It doesn’t bother me to hear about Mourinho; it is what it is. Here, you lose one game and you have to change everything.”
“We must give everything we can to win the game,” he said, adding, “It’s a difficult stadium but it’s always going to be like that. We have to keep working hard, prepare well for games and change things around. That’s football. We have a chance to change it round quickly. That’s what helps me get through.
“We can’t talk about everything that goes on outside the club and respond to all the criticism.”
Real Madrid face Sevilla next on Monday in their La Liga fixture.