Real Madrid's season has lurched from one disappointment to another over the last few months and the mood at the club was further soured by a 2-2 La Liga draw at Levante on Saturday, a result that left embattled coach Zinedine Zidane "disgusted."
Zidane's side twice threw away the lead with Giampaolo Pazzini's 89h minute equalizer earning Levante a point and leaving the defending champion fourth in the standings, 18 points behind arcrival and leader Barcelona.
Madrid started the year poorly but consecutive league wins over Deportivo La Coruna and Valencia had given Zidane hope that his team might be turning a corner, until it slipped up against a hard-working Levante.
The coach was furious that his team made two defensive errors which led to both Levante goals, the first converted by Emmanuel Boateng before Pazzini's late intervention.
Madrid captain Sergio Ramos broke the deadlock but then played Jose Luis Morales onside in the build up to Levante's first equalizer three minutes before halftime.
Then, 33-year-old forward Pazzini, a deadline day loan signing from Verona, was allowed to charge between Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane to score on his debut after Isco had restored Madrid's advantage.
"I'm disgusted with the result, it's hard to take," Zidane told reporters. "Aftet our second goal we had to control the ball, nothing else, and defensively we were not good.
"The truth is the game was under control and we had done the hard part, which is scoring, 2-1, but we made two errors and they scored two goals against us."
Madrid has now conceded in each of its last six league games and shipped a total of 25 goals, mote than twice as many as Barcelona (10) and second-placed Atletico Madrid (9).
With Madrid eliminated from the King's Cup by local rival Leganes, the only trophy it can realistically win is the Champions League, in which it has a tricky last 16 tie against Paris St. Germain (PSG) to negotiate.
Midfielder Casemiro is adamant that Madrid cannot continue to defend so poorly if it wishes to defend its European crown.
Madrid hosts PSG at the Santiago Bernabeu on Feb. 14 in the first leg of their Champions League showdown, with the return in Paris on March 6.
Rik Sharma
Reuters/Madrid
Zidane's side twice threw away the lead with Giampaolo Pazzini's 89h minute equalizer earning Levante a point and leaving the defending champion fourth in the standings, 18 points behind arcrival and leader Barcelona.
Madrid started the year poorly but consecutive league wins over Deportivo La Coruna and Valencia had given Zidane hope that his team might be turning a corner, until it slipped up against a hard-working Levante.
The coach was furious that his team made two defensive errors which led to both Levante goals, the first converted by Emmanuel Boateng before Pazzini's late intervention.
Madrid captain Sergio Ramos broke the deadlock but then played Jose Luis Morales onside in the build up to Levante's first equalizer three minutes before halftime.
Then, 33-year-old forward Pazzini, a deadline day loan signing from Verona, was allowed to charge between Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane to score on his debut after Isco had restored Madrid's advantage.
"I'm disgusted with the result, it's hard to take," Zidane told reporters. "Aftet our second goal we had to control the ball, nothing else, and defensively we were not good.
"The truth is the game was under control and we had done the hard part, which is scoring, 2-1, but we made two errors and they scored two goals against us."
Madrid has now conceded in each of its last six league games and shipped a total of 25 goals, mote than twice as many as Barcelona (10) and second-placed Atletico Madrid (9).
With Madrid eliminated from the King's Cup by local rival Leganes, the only trophy it can realistically win is the Champions League, in which it has a tricky last 16 tie against Paris St. Germain (PSG) to negotiate.
Midfielder Casemiro is adamant that Madrid cannot continue to defend so poorly if it wishes to defend its European crown.
Madrid hosts PSG at the Santiago Bernabeu on Feb. 14 in the first leg of their Champions League showdown, with the return in Paris on March 6.
Rik Sharma
Reuters/Madrid
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