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Real Madrid showed their class as they put Liverpool to the sword in a 3-1 victory in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-finals clash.
Zinedine Zidane's men will take a two-goal advantage to Anfield next week, courtesy goals from Marco Asensio and Vinicius Junior. However, before they visit Anfield, Los Blancos host Barcelona in the El Clasico on Saturday, and Zinedine Zidane will know how important that game is for their La Liga aspirations.
With that said, here is the latest Real Madrid news on 7th April, 2021.
Zidane satisfied with Real Madrid win
Zinedine Zidane spoke to the media after Real Madrid's convincing 3-1 victory over Liverpool. The Frenchman was happy with his team's performance, but knew that the tie was not over yet. He said:
"I feel good. There’s a mix of everything. We had a great game, although we had a bit of difficulty at the start of the second half. I’m proud of everyone. But, there’s a second leg. We have to be happy and satisfied, but there’s a second leg."
Zidane also said that Raphael Varane's absence did not change his plans going into the game. He explained:
"We didn’t change anything, just changing Éder Militão for Raphael. The plan was to play 4-3-3 with Raphael. We knew there was something there [with the long passes forward] We know their full-backs are attacking, so with the quality we have with Toni Kroos and Vinícius we scored a fantastic first goal."
Real Madrid interested in Jules Kounde
Real Madrid are reportedly interested in Sevilla defender Jules Kounde. The Frenchman has established himself as one of La Liga's brightest prospects and has become a subject of interest for many of Europe's top teams.
According to Fichajes, Real Madrid will pursue Kounde in the summer, as the futures of club captain Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane remain uncertain.
Ramos is a free agent at the end of the season and has not come to an agreement over a contract extension yet, while Varane's contract runs out at the end of next season.
Zidane hits out at Jurgen Klopp over stadium comments
Zinedine Zidane has hit out at Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after the German criticized Real Madrid's training ground. Los Blancos have chosen to play in the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano this season due to coronavirus restrictions.
Before the game, Klopp told the media:
"We've obviously got used to empty stadiums but this is completely different. This is a training ground. It's very different to anything else we've experienced. "
Zidane responded after the game by saying:
"This is our stadium. We play here, and we're proud to play here at the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano."
