Real Madrid coach, Zinedine Zidane, has explained why his side lost 3-2 to Sevilla in the La Liga fixture on Wednesday night at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.
Zidane featured a depleted squad against Sevilla, without his star player, Cristiano Ronaldo and many other regular first team starters.
Wissam Ben Yedder and Miguel Layun put Sevilla ahead in the first half, and the hosts added to the lead with an own-goal by Sergio Ramos while he tried to block a cross.
Ramos, who missed his first penalty attempt by sending the ball onto the crossbar early in the second half, converted from the spot in the final minute of stoppage time, not long after Borja Mayoral scored Madrid’s first goal in the 87th.
Zidane told reporters after the match, “We played better in the second half but couldn’t get it done in front of the goal.
“I don’t regret the line-up, there are still two games left and it was an opportunity to show up.
“It’s a shame because they are the players who play less but I can’t blame them for anything.
“They did all they could, in the second half they scored two goals.
“Not at all, every player I have is competent.
“We have a lot of games and have to rest, there’s a final and we have to rest, I’m the coach and I decide.
“But we can’t be happy with the results we have in the league this season.
“We won’t talk more about what we’ve done in the league, especially at the start when it was difficult.”
Meanwhile, the defeat to Joaquín Caparrós’s men leaves the Los Blancos three points behind second place Atletico Madrid on the La Liga table.
Among other players rested by Zidane on Wednesday night were Luka Modric, Keylor Navas, Marcelo, Toni Kroos and Raphael Varane.
Madrid next final two La Liga games is against Celta Vigo and Villarreal.
Zidane’s men will play Liverpool in the Champions League final on May 26 in Kiev.
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