Luka Modric may have been substituted by Zinedine Zidane in four of Real Madrid's past five matches, but the coach insisted that he has no problem with the way the midfielder has been playing.
Against Alaves he was hooked after a 68 minute showing which was disappointing by the Croat's standards, yet the Frenchman has defended his player.
"Maybe I'm wrong, but you're telling me that Modric is playing poorly and I'm worried by what you're saying," he said when the matter was raised on Tuesday.
"How can you say he's not playing well?"The players can't play well all 90 minutes.
"I am not worried and, on the contrary, I am pleased with what he is doing on the pitch."
The return of Gareth Bale may be one alternative reason for the increased substituting of the midfielder, given that the BBC front three are rarely taken off when fit.
Having spent so much time on the bench in recent weeks, there is now hope that the 31-year-old will be extra fresh for a busy month of April.
