Zinedine Zidane has maintained that Lionel Messi will play a key role in the upcoming El-Classico yet his team are equipped enough to be victorious.

"We know what we're facing, we know they have Messi, but we also have our weapons," he said.

Security is tight ahead of the rearranged fixture, but Zidane is hoping that all the focus will be on events which take place on the pitch.

"On the outside, this can be a week where many things are said, but people just want to watch a good football match," Zidane explained in his pre-match press conference.

"In the end, we have to put our energy out on the pitch.

"We believe the match is going to be played."

Lionel Messi has been a thorn in Los Blancos' side for much of his career, yet Zidane wasn't forthcoming when discussing any specific plans about keeping the Argentine quiet on Wednesday.

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"It's a football match and that's the important thing," he added.

"We want to play a good match against Barcelona, who also hope to do the same."

Many people have been critical to postpone the match's original date due to political unrest in Catalonia, yet with further trouble promised on Wednesday, Zidane spoke emphatically on his position with regards to the match being postponed again.

"I don't have to explain anything," he confirmed.

"I'm not here to do that, my job is to only think about what happens on the pitch.

"We're preparing to play and that's the only thing that interests us, I'm not worried about anything, we're happy to play the Clasico."

Zidane has been credited with the masterstroke of introducing Casemiro into the Real Madrid senior team early on in his first spell as coach, and it appears as though he is looking to achieve the same success with Fede Valverde, a player whom he admires very much.

"We have found Valverde at Real Madrid," he intimated.

"He is someone that is doing very well and that is the value of this club, we've always had the best players.

"Looking ahead, we're all focused on tomorrow's match and I have to decide things."