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January 26, 2018

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Zidane talks of 鈥榝iasco鈥 after Real flop

Real Madrid鈥檚 troubled season lurched further into crisis as coach Zinedine Zidane described its elimination from the Cope del Rey by humble neighbor Leganes as a 鈥渇iasco.鈥

It is almost a year ago to the day that Madrid鈥檚 record 40-game unbeaten run in all competitions ended as it swept all before it, but this season has been a tale of woe for the La Liga and European champion.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a fiasco. My worst moment as a coach,鈥 Zidane said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 regret anything I did in the game, though. I take responsibility for what I do. Winning 1-0 from the first leg to start tonight鈥檚 tie in the manner we did it鈥檚 really bad. For that I鈥檓 angry. I don鈥檛 understand what鈥檚 going on.鈥

Real, which lost 1-2 to Leganes to exit the competition on away goals, has slipped to fourth in the La Liga standing, trailing leader and arch-rival Barcelona by 19 points.

鈥淚 am responsible for all of this. It鈥檚 a failure for me,鈥 said Zidane who recently penned a contract extension until 2020.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a logical result, our opponents played their match and we did not. It is a big blow. We did what we had to do in the first leg. Nobody expected this, especially me but this is football.

鈥淚 am the manager. I picked the team and I was wrong in many regards. It鈥檚 up to me to find the solutions. I will continue to fight, to work, to battle and to find the things the team needs.鈥


 

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