Zidane pleased with Real Madrid fans

Benitez succeeded Ancelotti in June but lasted merely seven months at the helm, despite Madrid still in contention for La Liga and the Champions League, with club legend Zinedine Zidane promoted to the first team, and Italian questioned the President’s trigger finger.

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale insisted he has the same freedom under new coach Zinedine Zidane that he did with former boss Rafael Benitez. Bale took his tally to 10 goals in his last seven games with two excellent headers either side of a composed left-footed finish after Karim Benzema had opened the scoring before the Frenchman also smashed home the fifth in stoppage time.

“The important thing is to play football and my job will be based on playing from the back, progressing in to the opposition half quickly and having possession of the ball”. You can never predict what happens in the future, but I’m enjoying my football at the moment so I’ll keep going.

“I am thankful to the fans because they come to see the players. I feel good at the moment, I feel fit and I’m just trying to enjoy my football”. Moreover, no Madrid player has garnered a better WhoScored rating than Bale in La Liga this season (8.07).

“Whenever you win you have to be happy”, said Zidane.

Arda Turan made his first league start for the hosts after Barca’s year-long ban from registering new players was lifted earlier in the week, and the Turkish global provided his first assist for the club with a lovely through ball for Messi to slot home after just eight minutes. “I’m sure he’ll score in other games”.

While Benitez convinced the 28-year-old to stay at the Bernabeu, Zidane will have choices to make in the coming weeks given the number of attacking options that he has at his disposal.

“The key is the team’s attitude”. My main position would be on the right, obviously.

“No matter what, I’ll always give 100% on a football pitch and that’s what I did (against Deportivo)”. “We’ve only trained a few times but we are professionals and we work hard to try to win games and all of the titles available”.