Real Madrid vs Barcelona. Spanish Super Cup Semi-finals.
Santiago BernabeuAttendance70,000.
5-1
Wednesday 16 August 2017 21:00, UK
Real Madrid will be without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo when they host Barcelona in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) banned the Portugal forward for five games after his red card and subsequent push on referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea during the 3-1 win in the first leg at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
The subject took centre stage as Real head coach Zinedine Zidane spoke to the media ahead of Wednesday night's second leg at the Bernabeu, live on Sky Sports Football from 9.55pm.
Zidane confirmed the club would await the outcome of the RFEF disciplinary committee meeting before deciding their next move, but said he was "annoyed and upset" by the decision.
"When you look at the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo has got five matches, you have to admit that it is a lot," he added.
Zidane, though, wants his players to remember the positive build-up they have enjoyed, which included a clash against Manchester United as part of the International Champions Cup series in Santa Clara, California.
"A coach expects his team to be right when the official matches begin," Zidane added. "We prepared for that and (in the first leg against Barcelona) we competed very well, we played very well and won showing our personality. It was down to all the hard work on the tour.
"We are happy about what we've done so far, but it is a long season and we still have to work hard."
Despite defending a 3-1 lead, Zidane is taking nothing for granted in what will be a third El Clasico meeting before the new campaign, having lined up against Barcelona last month in Florida, where they lost 3-2.
"Anything is possible. In football nothing is certain," he said. "We will have to play very well because Barcelona can cause you problems at any time.
"They are a team with a lot of pride and they're going to come here wanting to turn the game around. We are not going to let our guard down because we expect a difficult game, more difficult than the first leg."
Barcelona won the Super Cup last year and head coach Ernesto Valverde says "nothing is impossible" as they look to overturn the first-leg deficit.
"We still have the idea to go there and win the trophy. We are not giving up," he said. "We will have to create chances. They have an important advantage and we will have to watch them on the counter."
Watch Real Madrid v Barcelona live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football from 9.55pm on Wednesday.
