Zidane unphased by critics of team selection

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Saturday defended his tactics and team selection ahead of his side's home game against Leganes on Sunday lunchtime.

Zidane was criticized for his side's shocking defensive display in Wednesday's 3-3 draw against Legia Warsaw and Madrid have now conceded goals in their last 10 matches, although he was unworried by that record.

"Everybody can say what they think," said Zidane when asked about his selection policy.

"I pick the team not to make one player or another happy. If a player plays ten games or he doesn't, he's never going to be happy with everything. I know that because I was a player."

He also discussed the performance in Warsaw in which he started with four strikers, including Alvaro Morata in the side along with Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, but saw how his side suffered in defense.

"Everyone can talk about Legia, that we had a fourth striker, that we were disorganized. But if I had to do the same thing again, I would," commented the coach.

"I would have liked us to have played well for 90 minutes to show we have the quality to play well for the full 90, but I can't control the critics," he added.

Zidane said that rather than look ahead to the Leganes match than reflect on the past.

"What interests me is to forget the Legia game because we have an important match against Leganes... I' ve lived with critics for 30 years, that's not going to change. The only thing I'm going to do is try to improve," he concluded. Endit