Zidane shrugs off pressure, confirms Bale won't feature against Galatasaray

SHOWS:

MADRID, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 5, 2019) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL)

1. REAL MADRID PLAYERS TRAINING

2. PLAYMAKER LUKA MODRIC CHASING THE BALL DURING KEEP THE BALL DRILL

3. PLAYMAKER ISCO ALARCON CHASING THE BALL DURING KEEP-THE-BALL DRILL

4. PLAYERS TRAINING

5. COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE AT SESSION

6. MIDFIELDER FEDERICO VALVERDE TRAINING

7. VARIOUS OF TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS

8. ZIDANE AT SESSION

9. PLAYERS WARMING UP

10. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS DURING KEEP-THE-BALL DRILL

11. ZIDANE ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE

12. (SOUNDBITE) (French) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE, SAYING:

"We always have the same energy, the next match is very important for us. Of course, I'm fine like all the players. We know the situation in which we are and the kind of match that we have to play. I don't worry about your question (if the match is a final) because I would have to quit my job tomorrow. I'm only thinking about playing a good match."

13. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE, ON MBAPPE:

"It is the player who will decide about his future. At the moment he is a Paris Saint Germain player and we will see in the future what happens. He said that his dream is to play for Real Madrid."

15. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE, ON GARETH BALE:

"We want the player to be well. The problem is that right now he is not ready to train normally. We will see day to day. But his country has called him up. They have the right to call him up."

15. ZIDANE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM

16. FULL BACK MARCELO ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM

17. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID FULL BACK MARCELO, SAYING:

"Yes it might be like that (like a final). Matches like this one are the best to be played . We have to win in order to be on the top (of the group) and go through to the next stage. Yes I think we have to approach the game like a final."

15. MARCELO LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM

STORY: Gareth Bale is unavailable for Real Madrid's Champions League clash at home to Galatasaray on Wednesday due to injury even though he has been called into the Wales squad for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers, coach Zinedine Zidane said on Tuesday (November 5).

Bale has not featured for Real since getting injured after Wales 1-1 draw with Croatia on Oct. 13 but on Tuesday was included in Ryan Giggs' squad for their crucial qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Hungary.

Real have not released any medical information on Bale's latest injury.

Giggs said he hoped Bale would feature for his club at Eibar on Saturday before reporting for Wales duty. However, Zidane said the player, who signed for Real for a then world record fee of 100 million euros ($111.03 million) in 2013, was not close to full fitness.

The Frenchman has previously acknowledged his willingness to part company with Bale and in July he said "if he can leave tomorrow, so much the better".

But he offered Bale sympathy for his long-running injury troubles, adding that he hopes the 30-year-old will remain at the club until next June at least.

The 13-times European champions made a difficult start to their Champions League campaign but two weeks ago moved up to second in Group A on four points after winning 1-0 at Galatasaray, who are bottom with one.

Full back Marcelo said the players might approach the game as a final in order to be at their best.

Paris St Germain, who lead the standings with nine points after three games, host Club Bruges on Wednesday.

(Production: Guillermo Martinez, Silvio Castellanos)