Zidane: Real Madrid's Clásico defeat hurts, but LaLiga isn't over
Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane says Los Blancos are not out of the LaLiga title race despite Saturday's 3-0 loss to leaders Barcelona.
Real Madrid's defeat to Barcelona in El Clásico "is tough for us to take", admitted Los Blancos' head coach, Zinedine Zidane, after Saturday's clash.
Goals by Luis Suárez, Lionel Messi and Aleix Vidal saw LaLiga leaders Barça win 3-0 at the Bernabéu to leave Real 14 points behind their arch rivals, albeit with a game in hand.
However, Zidane insisted Real can still win the title, declaring: "It isn't over".
Zidane's post-Clásico comments:
Losing El Clásico a bitter blow: "We started well, the first half was very even, and it's a defeat that hurts. It's very tough for us to take, but that's football."
Starting Mateo Kovacic in place of Isco: "I have to choose. The idea was to be able to keep a close eye on [Lionel] Messi, and Mateo did well. It's a decision we made, and that's that."
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Dani Carvajal sending-off: "That's annoying: when you plan one thing, [but] then the sending-off changes the game dramatically and makes it more difficult."
Second-half struggles: "We made a mistake on the [opening] goal; we defended it badly. At this level, it's all about the little details. We can't give in; it [Real's title challenge] isn't over, even if people think so."