Real Madrid: Zidane bemoans "lack of intensity" - yet again

If Zinedine Zidane's post-match comments in his time as Real boss are anything to by, he seems to have a recurring problem on his hands.

03/11/2016 22:05

Real Madrid: Zidane bemoans "lack of intensity" - yet again — ODD ANDERSEN AFP

Real Madrid's 3-3 Champions League draw with Legia Warsaw left head coach Zinedine Zidane voicing a familiar complaint about his side's performance.

Zidane (left) gives Gareth Bale instructions during Wednesday's draw in Warsaw. JANEK SKARZYNSKI (AFP)

Real led 2-0 in Poland through goals from Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, but in the end needed a late equaliser by Mateo Kovacic to prevent an embarrassing defeat after Legia had fought back to turn the scoreboard on its head.

Zidane laments Real relaxation at 2-0 up

And speaking post-match on Wednesday night, "intensity" was the watchword for Zidane as he admitted that his team had taken their foot off the gas after netting their second at the Polish Army Stadium.

"We lacked a bit of everything, we lacked intensity," he explained. "Especially after going two goals up. We dropped our intensity and when you do that, you are always going to be susceptible to conceding a goal."

Intensity also to blame against Villarreal, Eibar...

It's not the first time 'Zizou' has come to such a conclusion this season, having called for "more intensity" following Los Blancos' draw with Villarreal in September and talked of a "lack of intensity" after being held by Eibar three games later.

Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos and Casemiro trudge off after a 2-0 Champions League defeat at Wolfsburg in April - a reverse that also had Real Madrid's coach talking of a "lack of intensity". DIARIO AS (Felipe Sevillano)

According to Zidane's analysis, then, three of the five matches Real have failed to win so far this campaign have at least in part been down to this shortcoming.

Same complaint against Atlético, Wolfsburg last season...

And with last term's defeats at home to Atlético Madrid and away to VfL Wolfsburg also prompting the same response from the Frenchman, it's a gripe that has now come up on five occasions in his tenure...