I am not going to resign: Zidane
REAL Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane said he is “not going to resign” after defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk left his side's hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16 in the balance. The 13-time European champions are third in Group B, with all four sides still able to qualify in next week's final round of matches. Real must beat leaders Borussia Monchengladbach to guarantee progress.
MADRID — Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane said he is “not going to resign” after defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk left his side's hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16 in the balance.
The 13-time European champions are third in Group B, with all four sides still able to qualify in next week's final round of matches.
Real must beat leaders Borussia Monchengladbach to guarantee progress.
“I am not going to resign, not at all,” said Zidane following the 2-0 loss.
“We are always going to have difficult moments, and we are on a bad run, but we need to keep going,” added the Frenchman, whose side suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Alaves in La Liga on Saturday.
“I have the strength needed to turn the situation around and I am going to give everything to do that. So are the players.
“We played well and we deserved more. We just need to lift our heads up and think about the next game.”
It was Real's second defeat by Shakhtar in this season's competition, the Ukrainian side winning the reverse fixture 3-2 in Madrid.
Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Inter Milan beat Monchengladbach 3-2 later on Tuesday to keep their hopes of qualification alive.
Real's city rivals Atletico Madrid will also still have it all to do in their final group game after being held to a 1-1 draw at home by a weakened Bayern Munich.
Joao Felix gave Atletico the lead against a Bayern side who had already won Group A. Thomas Mueller won and then converted a late penalty to earn the defending champions a draw.
Salzburg can snatch a last-16 place if
they beat Atletico at home next week, after the Austrians won 3-1 away to Lokomotiv Moscow.
Mergim Berisha scored twice in the first half for Salzburg, and Karim Adeyemi got their third goal after Anton Miranchuk converted a penalty for the railway-backed side.
Meanwhile, Curtis Jones sent a depleted Liverpool through to the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.
The English side were without a host of key players for the visit of Ajax to Anfield in Group D, with 22-year-old Irishman Caoimhin Kelleher starting in goal in the absence of Alisson.
Teenager Jones scored the only goal just before the hour, tucking the ball in after Ajax 'keeper Andre Onana thought he could afford to let a Neco Williams cross sail over his head.
The result was vital for the Premier League champions after their home loss to Atalanta a week ago, and it allowed them to secure a spot in the knockout phase.
“Honestly, since I was at Liverpool that feels like one of the biggest Champions League nights. Without supporters in, it was the most important, most difficult, most exceptional,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told BT Sport.
They will go through as group winners after Atalanta had to come from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Midtjylland, Cristian Romero heading in a late equaliser in response to Alexander Scholz's thumping opener for the Danes.
Atalanta are a point clear in second from Ajax, with the sides meeting in Amsterdam in their last game next week.
Two-time former European champions Porto also sealed a last-16 spot after drawing 0-0 at home to Manchester City, who were already through and are now guaranteed to top Group C.
Porto would have qualified regardless, because Olympiakos lost 2-1 to Marseille in France, with Dimitri Payet scoring two penalties in the second half to turn the game around after Mohamed Mady Camara fired the Greeks in front.
The result ends Marseille's Champions League record run of 13 straight defeats and means they could yet pip Olympiakos to third place and the consolation of a Europa League berth.