Zinedine Zidane 'happy' as he confirms he will extend Real Madrid contract

Frenchman's Spanish and European champions face Barcelona in first leg of Spanish Super Cup at Camp Nou on Sunday (midnight kick off in UAE).

Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane smiles during a press conference at Real Madrid sport city in Madrid on August 12, 2017, on the eve of the Spanish SuperCup first leg football match Real Madrid CF vs FC Barcelona. / AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO
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Zinedine Zidane said he is happy to sign a new contract at Real Madrid but admitted he knows only results on the pitch will guarantee he actually sees it out.

The Frenchman confirmed on Saturday that he has agreed a new three-year deal with the Spanish and European champions, though he has seen up close the speed with which Madrid dispense with managers who do not deliver.

"My story with Real Madrid is deeper than contracts and signatures," Zidane said in a press conference ahead of Sunday's Spanish Super Cup clash against Barcelona.

"I'm happy to be linked with the club. But the contract doesn't mean anything. You can sign for 10, 20 years. I know where I am and what to do. In one year, maybe I won't be here. Real Madrid and I are not going to argue, never."

Zidane took over at Madrid after the departure of Rafael Benitez in January 2016, and he has already won the Uefa Champions League twice as well as the Primera Liga crown last season.

He has also guided Madrid to the Fifa Club World Cup and two Uefa Super Cup wins, the last of which came earlier this week with victory over Manchester United.

Those successes add to those Zidane achieved as a player with Madrid, having won a league title, the Champions League, two Spanish Super Cups and the European Super Cup between 2001 and 2006.

By continuing to win as a manager, Zidane has further cemented his place in the club's history.

"I'm very happy for the confidence Real Madrid shows in me," he added. "I'm happy for working so well with my staff. And the objectives are always the same: trying to win every single game and every single title. We are enjoying a lot our job."

Zidane also warned the European champions against a Barcelona backlash at Camp Nou on Sunday.

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Barca are still reeling from the loss of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain for a world record €222 million (Dh964.6m) with their attempts to land a replacement in Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele of Borussia Dortmund so far falling short.

Zidane admitted "there aren't many players" with Neymar's individual qualities, but claimed his absence would not give Madrid the upper hand over the two legs in four days with the second leg of the Super cup to come at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

"They have had changes but Barcelona are Barcelona. We know how they play and their idea of how to play isn't going to change," Zidane .

"Neymar isn't replaceable but there will be others that will do very well. If we think it is going to be easier tomorrow we will be mistaken."