Zidane laments Real’s home form as Betis stun Bernabeu
MADRID: Zinedine Zidane lamented Real Madrid’s home woes as the Spanish and European champions slipped to a surprise 1-0 defeat to Real Betis on Wednesday.
The result means Real are without a win in their three league games at the Bernabeu this season, having also drawn with Valencia and Levante.
They now sit seven points behind pacesetters Barcelona, who are the only side left in La Liga with a perfect record after five games.
Madrid enjoyed 60% possession and had 27 efforts at goal to their visitors’ 12; however their dominance was of no consolation to the Frenchman.
“The ball just didn’t want to go in for us,” Zidane told reporters. “If you score one chance its a totally different game, but when it doesn’t want to go in, results like this can happen.
“We need to remain calm, but its just two points from nine at home.
“I feel for the players, the effort they’ve put in. When the opponent scores like that at the end it hurts.
“Next time we have a game at home we have to ensure that we do everything we can to win and change this bad run.”
It was the first time in 73 matches Real had not scored as former Madrid goalkeeper Antonio Adan ensured his boyhood club went away empty-handed and captain Sergio Ramos was also frustrated.
“It’s not normal in these matches at home against sides who on paper would normally be leaving the Bernabeu with a different result,” Ramos said.
“We need to be self-critical and turn the page.”
News did not get better for Zidane as full-back Marcelo limped off with a hamstring problem.
“It might well be the muscle has gone but it needs to be tested, Zidane said.
Earlier, Atletico Madrid celebrated being awarded the honour of hosting the Champions League final in 2019 with an impressive 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao to move up to third.
The visitors needed to rely on a brilliant penalty save from Jan Oblak to deny Aritz Aduriz just before half-time.
Angel Correa opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half by finishing off a flowing move involving Antoine Griezmann and Saul Niguez.
And Yannick Carrasco secured the three points with an angled finish from another Griezmann through ball 17 minutes from time before Raul Garcia netted a late consolation for the hosts.
Uefa awarded their showpiece event for next season to Atletico’s new Wanda Metropolitano earlier in the day.
Sevilla moved into second, two points behind Barca, as Jesus Navas scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Las Palmas.
RESULTS Leganes 0 Girona 0; Athletic Bilbao 1 (Raul Garcia 90+2) Atletico Madrid 2 (Correa 55, Carrasco 73); Deportivo la Coruna 1 (Luisinho 45+1) Alaves 0; Sevilla 1 (Navas 83) Las Palmas 0; Real Madrid 0 Real Betis 1 (Sanabria 90+4)