LaLiga chief slams Zidane's 'excuses' for Madrid's draw with Osasuna

LaLiga chief Javier Tebas hits out at Zinedine Zidane for ‘making excuses’ after he criticised decision to let Real Madrid’s draw with Osasuna go ahead in ‘poor conditions’ – and insisted the club AGREED to travel for the match

  • Zinedine Zidane was unhappy Real Madrid’s fixture against Osasuna went ahead
  • Madrid were held to a goalless draw in snowy conditions from Storm Filomena 
  • LaLiga chief Javier Tebas insisted the club ‘made the final decision to travel’
  • He also hit out at Zidane for moaning and claimed he was just ‘making excuses’

Zinedine Zidane has been slammed for ‘making excuses’ by LaLiga chief Javier Tebas after the Real Madrid boss criticised the decision to let his side’s game with Osasuna go ahead on Saturday.

The fixture was severely affected by icy conditions and snowfall as a result from last week’s Storm Filomena – which had also delayed Madrid’s journey to the El Sadar Stadium by four hours –  and Zidane admitted he was not happy that the match was allowed to be played after his side were held to a goalless draw. 

Although the pitch at Osasuna passed an inspection before kick-off there were still patches of snow on the surface and the Madrid boss insisted afterwards that the game was ‘not a football match and should have been suspended’.

Real Madrid were held to a 0-0 draw against Osasuna on Saturday in snowy conditions

Zinedine Zidane bemoaned the decision to let the match go ahead during Storm Fiomena

However, Tebas has fired back at Zidane by claiming the Madrid boss was misinformed as club chiefs had agreed to travel to honour the fixture despite the adverse weather conditions and was just using ‘excuses’ after the disappointing result.

‘I have been bothered by the version that Madrid has given,’ Tebas said as per Marca. ‘On Friday afternoon I spoke with their general manager more than 14 times. 

‘I told him that, if the boys were very nervous, the best thing to do was to go back to their facilities and try to travel the next day, and he said no.

‘I do not know the information that Zidane knew before the trip. I have seen so many excuses that the coaches have given when the games have not gone well and this is just one more of them.’

LaLiga chief Javier Tebas said Zidane was making ‘excuse’ and insisted Madrid agreed to travel

The draw leaves Madrid four points off leaders Atletico, who also have two games in hand

He also revealed that he would speak with Madrid president Florentino Perez to clarify the situation, adding: ‘I will call him because I am not at all happy with what has happened behind.

‘If Aena (Airport operator) came to say that there is no possibility of taking off, Real Madrid would not have taken off.

‘The final decision to travel was taken by Real Madrid.’

Saturday’s result leaves Madrid four points behind rivals Atletico Madrid at the top of LaLiga with Diego Simeone’s men also having two games in hand.

Marca claimed this week this is the just the latest strain in Madrid’s relationship with LaLiga, having recently clashed over the use of VAR and the possible creation of the European Super League. 




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