‘Real will get more chances to catch Barca’

REAL Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane tried to hide his disappointment at missing the chance to close to gap on rivals Barcelona at the top of La Liga to six points on Saturday.

Real fa iled to capita lise on Barca’s 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo earlier in t he day as t hey played out a 0-0 sta lemate at At h let ic Bi lbao to drop points for t he si xt h time in 14 La Liga games so far this season.

“For me the most important thing is to keep thinking that we are going to have another opportunity throughout the course of the season to cut the gap,” said Zidane.

That opportunity to cut the eight-point ht-point gap b e t w e e n t h e sides es is most likely ely to come when en Madrid host st Barcelona in three weeks eks time.

H o w e v e r , Real al could go into o that match down wn in fifth in the table le as they currently tly lead Sevilla only on goal difference ference in f o u r t h a n d trail il Valencia and d Atletico Madrid. drid.

Zidane’s idane’s men will also be depleted without captain Sergio Ramos, who saw his 24th career red card late on at Sam Mames, Dani Carvajal and Casemiro t h r o u g h s u s p e n s i o n when Sevilla visit the Bernabeu next weekend.

A nd Rea l wi l l play a game fewer in La Liga than t h e i r r i v a l s before t he end of t he yea r as t hey jet off to c o n t e s t t h e ClubWorld Cup b e t we e n t he 13t h a nd 16t h of December.

“At the moment there are three teams in front of us, but there are still six months left. We are at little behind, but there is a long way to go,” added Zidane.

Bale out again

Zidane had shown his intent to pounce on Barca’s slip-up by naming his strongest available side as Gareth Bale once again missed out through injury.

Without the man from Cardiff, Real started with the same line-up that started the Champions League final in the Welsh capital six months ago.

However, Zidane insisted it is merely results and not the level of performance that has changed for Real since they swept Juventus aside to retain the Champions League and beat Barcelona to the La Liga title last season.

“It is the result, nothing more. When I look at the game today, I can’t say we are playing worse,” the Frenchman said.

“What changes things are goals. That day we scored four against Juve and today we couldn’t score.

“Last season we would score goals in the last minute, and at t he moment t hat i s n’t happening.

“We need to keep going and think that there will be better moments to come.”