Friday 25 / April / 2025
Madrid: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane expressed his admiration for Paris Saint-Germain's French international forward Kylian Mbappe in the countdown to Tuesday's Champions League clash between the two sides.
PSG are already assured of their place in the last 16 and beat Madrid 3-0 in their first meeting in September, while Zidane's side needs a win to assure their place in the next round.
Zidane said his side had "improved" since the 3-0 defeat in Paris, but insisted it was "not a rematch."
"We want to get the result and stay consistent, confirming our improvement. It will be interesting," he said.
Zidane was also asked about Gareth Bale, who produced an impressive 25-minute cameo in Saturday's 3-1 win at home to Real Sociedad, despite being booed by the fans in the Santiago Bernabeu every time he touched the ball.
The coach didn't confirm whether the Welsh international would start but said the game was "important for everyone, for him, for the fans, and all of us. We need a great game. [PSG] are having a magnificent season and we know that this game will be tougher than the others."
The Real Madrid coach also admitted he was a fan of Mbappe, who many in Spain expect the Spanish club to try and sign next summer.
Zidane admitted he was "in love with" the young striker, but warned, "he comes here as a rival and what matters most is what my team does."
