Why Real Madrid won't form guard of honour for La Liga

Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has defended the decision for his players not to form a guard of honour for La Liga champions Barcelona in today's Clasico at the Nou Camp.

Ernesto Valverde's Barca clinched the title last weekend with a 4-2 victory at Deportivo La Coruna, and are four games away from going through the entire league campaign unbeaten. But there will be no guard of honour today evening, with Zidane irked that the Catalan club did not see his side out onto the pitch after their Club World Cup triumph in December.

"They did not do it [for us] and we, with respect, are not going to do it because they did not do it," Zidane said on Saturday at his pre-match press conference, quoted on his club's website.

Zinedine Zidane

"We respect what Barcelona did, which is to win the league and is the most difficult thing for me, as I have always said. I congratulate them, and this is respect.

"I will clarify the subject. I'm not the one to decide that the guard of honour is not made. After the Club World Cup, I understand that for them it was not important to make it [for us]. Some say they were not in the competition, but you have to win the Champions League to play the Club World Cup, and we are all in the Champions League."

The deposed champions head to Barcelona 15 points adrift of their hosts and amid reports they may rest the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos with one eye on their Champions League final date with Liverpool later this month, but Zidane insists there will be no lack of motivation from the visitors. "You do not have to think about the injuries, and have to play the match with intensity, which is the best way to prepare for the final," said the Frenchman, whose side sit third but still have second-placed Atletico Madrid in their sights.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever