Madrid: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Friday sidestepped talk of a bid for the world’s most expensive footballer Neymar.
“I don’t know, I don’t think so. What we are thinking about at the moment is the Champions League final,” Zidane told a news conference when asked about a possible move for the Paris St-Germain and Brazil star.
It’s “normal that people talk,” he added, “but I am not going there, because we are focusing on the season and the rest we will talk about later.”
Zidane’s squad take on Liverpool in the Champions League final in Kiev on May 26, looking to win the trophy for a third year in a row.
Pushed about whether Neymar would fit in to the Real set-up and would be compatible with Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane said, “the good ones are always compatible [with each other].”
Real President Florentino Pirez has made no secret of his desire to recruit Neymar, sparking daily rumours of transfer moves for the Brazilian star who played for Spanish rivals Barcelona from 2013-2017 before moving to French champions PSG.
Barcelona may have navigated their way past Real and Villarreal this week but their first ever unbeaten La Liga season is not quite over the line yet.
Ernesto Valverde’s side visit Levante on Sunday, whose lowly position of 16th betrays a late surge in form, which has included four consecutive victories and only one defeat in their last 10 games.
Barca are clear favourites. They held on for a 2-2 draw at home to Real on Sunday, even after Sergi Roberto was sent off at the end of the first half, before thrashing sixth-placed Villarreal 5-1 on Wednesday.
But if those two games have caused any fatigue, or even complacency, among Spain’s league and cup winners, Levante could be primed to take advantage.
When Paco Lopez replaced Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz as coach at the start of March, Levante had won only one of their last 22 games. Since he took charge, only Atletico Madrid have played them and tasted victory.
“It was important to change the dynamics but I don’t know what changed so much,” Lopez said. “What we have is attitude and commitment and that has been the key.”
