Real Madrid to deny Barcelona guard of honour

Madrid May 5 (IANS) Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Saturday said that the decision not to give FC Barcelona a guard of honour in their upcoming La Liga clash was in response to a similar action from the Catalan club after Real clinched the FIFA Club World Cup.

Barcelona is to host arch-rivals Real Madrid on Sunday their first league match since Barça secured the La Liga title while Real is currently in third place reports Efe.

"I am not one to decide on my own whether to give them a guard of honor " Zidane said at a press conference.

"We have to talk about the situation because after the (Club) World Cup I understand that the guard of honor was not important for them and some people say that they did not compete in the tournament and this is not true because they played in the (UEFA) Champions League and you have to win the title to play the (Club) World Cup " he added.

"It was they who did not give it to us and we with all respect will not give it in return " he explained.

--IANS
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