Zidane: Draw difficult to accept

Zinedine Zidane admitted it was hard for Real Madrid to accept Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund after conceding a late equaliser.

The Champions League holders appeared to be on their way to the three points when Raphael Varane netted to make it 2-1 midway through the second half, but Andre Schurrle levelled with three minutes left, much to the disappointment of Zidane.

“The players played a great match. The result is a difficult one to accept because we deserved a bit more,” the Madrid coach told reporters. 

“When you concede three minutes from the end it hurts, especially given the effort the players put in. But it is not a bad result. 

“I think in the first half we suffered a bit because they pressed a lot and we knew it is a difficult place to come against a good team, but I am very proud of the game we played. It was complete in every sense but the shame is it is three games in a row now we have drawn.”

Varane, meanwhile, felt the 2-2 draw was a good reflection of the encounter.

“I think a draw is a fair result for both sides,” he said.

“They had possession and we hurt them on the counter. We lacked a bit of focus and energy at the end, but it’s not a bad result.

“To lose two points at the end of the game never makes you happy, but we’re alright. We’ll carry on working and we will keep on giving the best of ourselves.

“Their first goal was a bit of bad luck because the ball hit me in the face. That’s football, these things happen and it’s not a mistake from Keylor Navas. It doesn’t matter, and you carry on playing.”