Zinedine Zidane not interested in answering critics after Real Madrid win in El Clasico

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was in a defiant mood after his side bested arch-rivals Barcelona 3-1 in a La Liga encounter.

Goals from Federico Valverde, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric sealed an impressive win for the La Liga champions while only teenage sensation Ansu Fati managed to trouble the scorers for Ronald Koeman's side.

However, the lead-up to the game wasn't smooth-sailing for Real Madrid as they had entered the contest on the back of two consecutive losses.

Speaking to the press after the game, Zinedine Zidane mentioned that the criticism that rained down on the team prior to the Barcelona game didn't faze him and that he wasn't focused on shutting it down.

"That's not what we're here for, to shut them [the critics] up," he said.

"We do our job, believing in what we do, being together when we have to be and that's what we did. We did it as a team, I'm very proud of them.

"When it comes to defending we had a compact block. Then with a rival open like Barca, we've found gaps two or three times and in the end, it's about trying to play a good game as a team and that's what we did."

Sergio Ramos makes it advantage Real Madrid

The game was a tightly-contested affair with very little to separate the teams until a 63rd minute penalty - won and converted - by Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

The experienced centre-back went down under the slightest contact in the box as Barcelona were defending a corner and VAR deemed it to be a penalty.

🗣 — Zidane: "VAR? There's a referee, he's seen the play and he whistled a penalty. I'm never talking about referees, it's a complicated job, and I'm not going to start today. Regardless of this move, we deserved this win, we won 3-1 and there could have been more goals." pic.twitter.com/all1L1dU2H

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) October 24, 2020

Luka Modric put the result beyond all doubt with a superb bit of skill to beat a scrambling Barcelona back-line before stroking the ball into the net in the 90th minute with the outside of his foot.

Real Madrid win the first #ElClasico of 2020-21 👑But who will go on to win La Liga? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/kp7TuPUAYn

— Goal (@goal) October 24, 2020

The result takes Real Madrid to the top of the La Liga standings - at least temporarily - with 13 points from 6 games.

Second placed city rivals Atletico Madrid are on 11 points from 5 games and have the chance to eclipse the champions if they manage to win their game in hand.