No crisis at Real, claims Zidane

LONDON: Zinedine Zidane insisted Real Madrid were not in crisis following their 3-1 defeat to Tottenham in the Champions League.
The Spanish giants were shocked by Spurs who dominated and were well worth the win. The current European champions were second to everything and the scoreline barely did justice to what was ultimately an easy victory for the Londoners.
That defeat came on the back of a surprise 2-1 loss at lowly Girona on Sunday, a setback that left them eight points behind rivals Barcelona in the La Liga table. And asked if Madrid were in crisis, boss Zidane said: “No. I don’t think we’re lost.
“Maybe we are missing the calm we normally have in front of goal.
“We are making chances and not taking them but for sure we will turn this situation around.
“When you lose two games in a row, your confidence can’t be great but we have three or four days to rest and think about the next game.”
While Zidane was left fending off questions he would rather not answer, Mauricio Pochettino found himself the center of attention, and he claimed his side were now not only one of the best in England, but also Europe.
“We now belong not only with the best in England, but in Europe,” the Spurs boss said.
“What we have to do is move to the next level and that is winning things. We’re pleased, but it will mean nothing if we have not won anything.”
The North London outfit last won a trophy back in 2008, something not lost on the legion of fans. But Pochettino said their win on Wednesday has given his side the belief that they can win any competition they enter.
“We are starting to believe in our potential and qualities. We are able to compete with teams now on a physical and mental level,” the Argentine said.
“This sort of win has consequences in terms of making us more visible. It’s something that everyone around Europe will have seen.”