Substitutions Are To Change The Dynamic Of The Game – Zidane

Zinedine Zidane has hailed an “important result” and performance after his team’s much-needed 4-1 La Liga win at Valencia on Saturday afternoon, touching on the “personality” the team had shown after recent shambolic displays.

“I am very happy as it is an important result, not just the result, but we played very well,” Zidane said. “We had a lot of possession in the first half and when I see my players play like that I am happy.

“This is a difficult stadium, a team which has done fantastic in this league, were ahead of us in the table. I am very happy with how [my players] did physically, and also tactically.

“In the second half we suffered for a bit, which is normal, and Keylor [Navas] saved us. We must admit that.

But within the game as a whole we deserved the victory. Winning like this, 4-1 here, is nothing easy, we must congratulate the players.”

“The good thing in football is that when something bad happens you have another game three days later,” Zidane said. “Today was a big game, and we played with a lot of personality, it was important to show that we will be in there fighting.

“There is still a long way to go in La liga, we will do as well as possible. Then on the 14th we have a Champions League game.”

“All players get angry when they are taken off, but that’s not important,” Zidane said. “The result is what counts in the end and Karim is happy, as we all are. Substitutions are to change the dynamic of the game.

“Lucas [Vazquez] worked very hard, Marco [Asensio] was involved in Marcelo’s goal and Mateo [Kovacic] with a one-two for Toni’s. Each one adds their grain of sand. We are all here to bring something to the team. And the three changes worked well for that.”