La Liga to be Real’s top priority next season: Zidane

MADRID: Zinedine Zidane said on Wednesday La Liga will be Real Madrid’s top priority next season after they were mathematically ruled out of the title race with five games left.

Barcelona’s victory over Alaves confirmed that Madrid cannot be crowned champions given they sit 16 points behind the Catalans. Despite incredible success in the Champions League, it means Madrid have now won the Spanish title only once in seven years while Barca are on the cusp of securing their fourth in the last five, and eighth in 11.

“For us next year, the league must be our number one priority,” Zidane said. “It’s the longest competition, it’s the one that cannot be missed and I’m going to put that in the heads of my players.

“It will be our bread and butter for sure, without devaluing the rest, because we try to fight on all fronts at this club, but our bread and butter will be La Liga.” “We have 33 titles,” Zidane said. “Barca are doing well, I will admit when a rival is doing well, but in history, Real Madrid has more league titles.

“But they have been doing better lately and we need to change the dynamic.” Madrid are likely to be busy this summer, with Gareth Bale heading a long list of players who could depart while Chelsea’s Eden Hazard is among those expected to arrive.