Zinedine Zidane maintains Real Madrid are still the most prestigious team in La Liga regardless of Barcelona’s imminent title win this season.
Madrid have won the title 33 times in their history, more than any club in the history of the Spanish top-flight. However, the capital club have fallen far behind their rivals this season.
Holding a 12-point lead over Atletico Madrid and a further four ahead of Real, Barcelona are edging closer to their 26th La Liga crown, which will be their fourth in the last five years.
Although the Santiago Bernabeu side have failed to remain in contention for the domestic crown this term, they made history by winning the last three Champions League titles.
Zidane admits La Liga is the most important trophy Los Blancos can win, he insists Barcelona’s recent dominance does nothing to diminish their status as the biggest in the division.
“La Liga is very important. It’s the daily objective,” he told reporters. “It’s going to be our first objective for the next season.
“We have 33 Liga titles. How many do Barcelona have? It’s true they are doing great in the last few years, and we have to recognise them, but in our history there are many more titles. For me it’s the most important title to fight for.”
Madrid are expected to have a busy transfer window in the summer as they look to replenish the side that also crashed out of the Champions League and Copa del Rey early this season.
One player said to be hoping for a move away from the Spanish capital is Keylor Navas, who has lost his place in goal to Thibaut Courtois.
And the coach suggested he is open to letting the Costa Rica international go if he is not happy, though he insists nothing has been decided.
“I would understand if any of my goalkeepers wanted to leave the club in case of not being my first goalkeeper for the next season,” he said. “Anything can happen yet. It’s easy for you to talk about their future, but the difficult part is for me to decide and to talk to them.
“If I would like to keep the three I have nowadays? I can’t say that, cause sometimes I like some things and finally the opposite happens.
“We have 25 players, so if we want to sign players, some others have to leave.”
