By Daily Sports on October 28, 2017

Real Madrid handlers have said their encounter with Girona this Sunday will just be a 90-minute stay after which they will depart the Catalonia.

Madrid is expected to travel to Girona, even as political tension is sweeping across Spain in recent weeks.

It is the European champions' first trip to Catalonia since violence marred a separatist called independence referendum for the region on October 1 that has sparked weeks of political chaos.

The atmosphere surrounding Real's first ever top-flight visit to Girona, a heartland of pro-independence support, could be further intensified should the Spanish government follow through with plans this weekend to seize Catalonia's autonomous powers in an attempt to stave off a declaration of independence.

"We will have the security there as always to play a football match, nothing more," said Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.

"We are thinking solely about the match as always and not about what could happen around it."

As is normal on trips to Catalonia, Real will not use their official team bus for fear of reprisals.

"It won't be the first time that this has happened and there is no need to give it any further importance," Real's Director of Institutional Relations, Emilio Butragueno, told Spanish sports daily Marca.

"Real Madrid are a football club and we will only talk about the football – that is all we focus on, to win and to make our fans happy."

•Photo shows Zinedine Zidane.

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 28, 2017

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