Real Madrid vs Getafe: Zidane confirms Cristiano Ronaldo to start but plans to rotate squad

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has warned his side against taking anything for granted ahead of the La Liga game with Getafe on Saturday (16 April), despite their rivals being second from bottom in the table after three months without a win. The boss also confirmed that he will rotate some players for the game, leaving Sergio Ramos and Casemiro out his 19-man squad alongside the suspended Danilo.

Los Blancos arrived for the game in sensational mood after Tuesday night's (12 April) 3-0 victory against Wolfsburg, which overturned the 2-0 first-leg deficit in their Champions League quarter-final, booking a place in the next round against Manchester City. Real also have renewed hope in La Liga, after taking advantage of Barcelona's recent setbacks to close the gap on the leaders to just four points.

The visit to Getafe looks ideal to put more pressure on Barcelona, as Madrid's near-neighbours arrive with a new manager, Juan Esnaider, having parted ways with Fran Escriba following the poor spell which left the club just two points from safety.

But Zidane said in his press conference: "I don't like this game because it seems to be thought that we will play against Getafe and win easily but it won't be like that. We're going to play against a team who fight to the death in every game and who have just changed managers, a manager who I also happen to know. I'm certain that it will be a very difficult match.

"I'm referring to the atmosphere and the fact that it is not easy playing away against a team who are almost bottom of the league. They have also just changed managers. Our players know what they will be playing against. We will be focused, but I don't like the atmosphere that we will have to face. I am only thinking about preparing for this game and avoiding any surprises. At the moment we are third in the league and we have to focus on getting to second place before anything else".

The French boss, nevertheless, has revealed that he will rest some players in the game, although he confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will be OK to play despite missing training. However, Ramos and Casemiro, neither of whom worked with the group that day, have been omitted from the squad.

Before the press conference, Real Madrid learnt their fate in the Champions League semi-final, being drawn against Manchester City, with the first leg to be played at the Etihad on 26 April and the return at the Bernabeu on 4 May. Zidane admitted he was happy to have the second leg at home.

"I'm not going to answer 10 questions about the draw. The important thing is tomorrow's game. It is a semi-final. It will be a very difficult knockout tie. The only positive is that we play the second leg at home. I see it as a difficult knockout tie and I'm certain that it will be a real battle," he said. "Real Madrid are always favourites. That is the way it has always been and always will be. This doesn't bother us, we know how difficult it is playing a Champions League semi-final against City and we are always preparing ourselves to try to qualify."

"I don't agree that our knockout ties are always the easiest. You've already seen us lose 2-0 in the first leg against Wolfsburg so I don't want to hear this. We know that to get through and keep going forward we have to play against all the teams and everyone we've faced so far have been strong: Roma, Wolfsburg and Manchester City".