The Madrid team "Real" did not take advantage of the perfect opportunity on Saturday evening to at least temporarily gain a six-point advantage over "Barcelona". The "Whites" conceded a goal right before added time and had to settle for a 1:1 draw with "Real Valladolid".
Zinedine Zidane was extremely dissatisfied with his team's performance after the match. The Frenchman was especially upset with the defensive game when the team already had a minimal advantage.
"I have a bad taste in my mouth because in the second half we managed to score a goal. It was difficult to do so, as we simply did not play well," the strategist said.
"I think the first half was better - we just lacked a goal. Before the equalizer, we somehow lost positions in defense. We had to clear the ball out of the danger zone, but it turned out the opposite.
We need to significantly improve our game. We cannot play well for only 60 minutes and then relax for the remaining time. Anyone can beat anyone, but you have to be prepared to fight for the full 90 minutes," the disappointed Frenchman did not hide his feelings.
James Rodriguez was unexpectedly included in the starting lineup for these matches, playing for about 55 minutes. Zidane, who did not show much confidence in the Colombian a few seasons ago, was once again satisfied with his performance.
"James played well. He had a slight injury, so he couldn't play the full match. We didn't want to take any risks, so we brought Vinicius into the field," added Zidane.
