Zinedine Zidane insists he sees no downside to the midweek controversy involving Karim Benzema and his team-mate Vinicius Junior and believes the flashpoint shows his team is ‘alive’.
The Spanish giants battled back from 2-0 down to earn a creditable point against Borussia Monchengladbach in their Champions League group stage clash in Germany.
Benzema prompted the dramatic late comeback with an 87th minute goal but it was his half-time conversation with Ferland Mendy that dominated the post match headlines.
The former France international was caught on camera talking to his compatriot, slamming Vinicius’s performance and urging Mendy to resist the temptation to pass to the Brazilian forward.
Vinicius and Benzema have reportedly put the incident to bed with the latter offering a sincere apology and Zidane believes the disagreement could yet have a positive impact on his side.
‘The most important thing is that it is clarified and that the players talk among themselves,’ he said ahead of Saturday’s match against Huesca. ‘Many things are said on the field and they stay there.
‘We are a team and we need energy for other things. It is good that things happen because it means that we are alive. They talked and that’s it.
‘The important thing is that our energy focuses on tomorrow’s game, the rest is already clear. In the field many things are said hot. Many things are said about others and others also about me.’
