Zinedine Zidane has dismissed the suggestion that Gareth Bale may be unhappy at Real Madrid ahead of Sunday night's visit of Girona, live on Sky Sports Football.

The Welshman was a then world-record acquisition from Tottenham when he moved to the Bernabeu in 2013 but almost five years later questions are being asked about his future in Spain.

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Zidane, who himself was once the world's most expensive player when he moved in 2001 to Madrid from Juventus, scotched talk of Bale being disenchanted.

"Bale is not a sad player at Real Madrid," the head coach said. "Everyone can have their opinion, but I believe he is here and happy to be at this club. He has shown he is an important player in this team."

Persistent speculation that Madrid will move for Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar in the summer continues to follow Zidane around.

Ahead of Sunday's La Liga clash with Girona, more questions about the Brazilian came the coach's way in his preview press conference.

Despite attempting to duck the issue he reasoned there was no reason a player of Neymar's quality should not fit into the Madrid set-up, where the BBC attacking trident of Karim Benzema, Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo appears vulnerable to breaking up this summer.

"Good players can perform in any team and any position. They are compatible. What the club does will always depend on factors like this," Zidane said.

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Zidane also said of Neymar: "People can say what they want, what the players say and what I say is always the same, that he is a good player but not ours."

Madrid know the league has gone this year, with Barcelona streaking clear at the top of the table and still unbeaten after 28 games. The target on the domestic front is second place, and Zidane's side trailed Atletico Madrid by seven points heading into the weekend.

"It's a very important goal," Zidane added.

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Girona, promoted last year, sit seventh and stunned Madrid with a 2-1 win over the capital superstars in October. On Sunday they will be targeting a remarkable double.

Coach Pablo Machin said: "We have to go out and compete and do what we know how to do, giving our maximum.

"Madrid compete in the same league as us, we are in the Primera, we've beaten them, and we'll go to the Bernabeu without fear."

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Sergio Ramos and Bale trained on their own this week but both should be fit to feature after recovering from minor knocks.

Girona are without injured defenders Jose Raymundo Luis Suarez and Carles Planas for the trip to the Bernabeu.

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These two teams have only met once in a competitive game - Girona won 2-1 in October 2017.

Girona could become just the second team in a debut La Liga season to win their two games against Real Madrid in that league season, after Real Burgos in 90/91.

Real Madrid have lost three of their four matches against Catalonian opposition in La Liga this season. They have never been beaten four such times in a single season in their La Liga history.

Real Madrid have won their last four league games at the Santiago Bernabeu, scoring 19 goals (4.75 on average).

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Real Madrid (21) and Girona (18) are the two teams to have scored the most goals from set-piece situations in La Liga this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a brace in each of his last three league games. No La Liga player has netted more goals in the competition in this calendar year than the Portuguese (14).

Portu is the only player to have scored against each of the current top four in La Liga this season (Barcelona, Atlético, Real Madrid and Valencia).

Watch Real Madrid v Girona live from 7.40pm on Sky Sports Football

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