Real Madrid boss, Zinedine Zidane, has reacted to his side’s 1-0 home loss to Villarreal in the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
The Frenchman said he could not explain his team’s continuing struggles in front of goal.
In the first half, a Gareth Bale header correctly ruled out for offside; Cristiano Ronaldo free kick tipped onto the crossbar by Villarreal goalkeeper Sergio Asensio; and a Ronaldo penalty claim turned down.
After the break, Asensio saved from Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, and Zidane’s side recorded 28 shots without finding the net.
With four minutes remaining, midfielder Pablo Fornals put the visitors on the way to their first-ever league win at the Bernabeu.
Zidane told post-match press conference, “The first thing is it is difficult.
“We did everything, we had many chances to score in the game, and the ball did not want to go in. You cannot explain that.
“It is a bad run, which continues, so it is difficult for my players. I cannot reproach my players for what they have done. It is a difficult defeat as we did not deserve this blow today.
“Within all the negative you must look for the positive. We had many good things, and now we are living a hard moment. We can change this, get out of this, by winning games, and winning well.
“I hope that is Thursday [in the Copa del Rey], or Sunday. And that win will change things. We have to keep thinking we can do that. We must keep working hard and thinking of winning the next game.
“We had chances, shots, could have scored. In football there are two teams, and what you must do is score a goal more than the opponent. And we tried that. I don’t know if we are predictable, we prepare for games. Not taking chances is not a question of being predictable.”
Real Madrid’s next game is on Thursday against neighbours, Leganes in the Copa del Rey quarterfinal first leg while the Champions League last-16 first leg at home to Paris Saint-Germain on Feb. 14 is looming into view.
Zidane added, “We know the situation, we have the Copa, and the Champions League in a month. It is a difficult situation, we have never experienced it. It is difficult for the players. We are hurting from this blow, but we are not going to change our mentality, to move forward, and to fight.
“[The problem] could be mental, as this hurts, when you do not win. We are going to keep going, we still have things to show that we are here, and that we are Real Madrid. There is still life, hope, and in football the good thing is you have another game every three days.
“When things go well you must confirm it, when they are going bad you have the chance to change it. We must stick together, think of each other, as we need that to change the situation.”
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