- Zinedine Zidane has called for players and fans after the 1 - 0 home loss to Real Betis
- Madrid's 73-game scoring streak ended with the defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu
- Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the team after serving a five-ban domestic suspension
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has called for calm despite his side's home defeat to Real Betis in La Liga at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
The Frenchman said "there were no reasons to be worried" after Betis ended his side's 73-game scoring streak in all completions and go winless in three straight home La Liga games for the first time since April 2011.
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Zidane is not worried by the defeat to Betis. Photo: Squawka
Speaking after the game, Zidane said: "Today the ball did not want to go in," Zidane said. "We had 26 or 27 chances, this is football. It was not a great game for us, but not a bad game either. If you score, then the game is different. It didn't happen.
"We were much better at the start of the second half, played in their half and had chances to score. Then we started to rush a bit, when it is the third game in a row at home [without a win], things get more difficult."
Ronaldo looks dejected close to the end of the game. Photo: Squawka
The coach also called for calm despite seeing his side go seven points behind Barcelona in the league.
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"I don't believe there are reasons to be worried," Zidane said. "We have just played a great game [3-1 at Real Sociedad]. It wasn't a great game today, but this is football. Maybe we did not deserve to win, but for sure we did not deserve to lose.
"Last year we won games maybe we did not deserve, now it is the opposite. But we must accept it, and be calm now. Many people do not like this word 'calm' when things go wrong, but we will stay calm, within the group. And we will come back.
"La Liga is very long, for sure we will have better days."
The loss sees them drop seven points adrift of Barcelona in the table with just five games played. Los Blancos next game is away at Alaves on Sunday, September 23.
On the other hand, NAIJ.com asked Nigerians to name the club they think would win the UEFA Champions League and we got some pretty interesting options;
Source: Sports.naij.com
ROSY CREST
Thursday, 21 September 2017