Real Madrid concentrating on Clasico, not protests: Zidane
Champions Barcelona lead the standings on goal difference only after 16 games
MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Tuesday (December 17) his team will enjoy the Clasico against old foes Barcelona regardless of what happens around the Camp Nou stadium during Wednesday’s (December 18) match.
Two months after Spain’s biggest soccer match was postponed due to political unrest the teams are neck and neck in the title race but the match could be overshadowed by fresh protests in the Catalan capital.
Champions Barcelona lead the standings on goal difference only after 16 games.
The Mediterranean city is far calmer than in the aftermath of long jail sentencing to nine separatist leaders in October which unleashed waves of sometimes violent protests and saw the Oct. 26 game called off at the request of the league’s organising body over security concerns.
But secretive Catalan protest group Democratic Tsunami has called supporters of the northeastern region’s independence to gather in several areas surrounding the stadium four hours ahead of the game’s kickoff.
The group, which organised mass protests at Barcelona airport in October and blocked a major highway, said on its social media accounts that more than 25,000 people have confirmed they would take part in Wednesday’s protests.
In the news conference previewing the match Zidane preferred not to comment on the events off the pitch.
Tsunami Democratic said it does not wish to blockade or halt the match, stressing that the protests are part of its effort to call for dialogue between Spanish and Catalan authorities on the region’s independence drive.
Real Madrid will be without midfielder Eden Hazard who is recovering from an injury picked up during their Champions League game against PSG last month.
