Real's Zidane tight-lipped on Super League question

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has said he will not comment on the proposed new European Super League, spearheaded by club president Florentino Perez.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's trip to Cadiz in La Liga, Zidane batted away questions about the breakaway - despite the club being one of the 12 founding members for the competition.

"That's a question for one person, the president," he told a news conference on Tuesday.

"I'm here for the game. Everyone has their opinion but I'm not here to talk about that. I'll talk about the game tomorrow, the league, the Champions League - the rest isn't my job.

"You can say I'm sitting on the fence, and that's fine. Because what I like doing is coach, that's it."

The Frenchman also said the dressing room had not been talking about any proposed UEFA sanctions, such as elimination from this season's Champions League, as punishment.

"We don't talk about that kind of stuff in the changing room. We're just focused on the next game," he added.

A disappointing goalless draw with Getafe at the weekend means Real's hopes of retaining La Liga are no longer in their own hands - they sit three points behind table toppers Atletico Madrid.

However, Zidane insisted they will not throw in the towel on the season.

"It's been a season of eight months and all sorts have happened," he said.

"There's been talk of me being fired, the players not being worth anything, and that's never the case. The important thing is that we're in the mix, we're competing and that's what we like."

Zidane did confirm that defenders Raphael Varane and Dani Carvajal will travel with the squad. However, Eden Hazard, Sergio Ramos and Federico Valverde all remain absent.