Real Madrid slumped to a 3-2 defeat in their Champions League opener against a Shakhtar Donetsk side missing ten players due to coronavirus and injuries.
And Zinedine Zidane took an hour to emerge for his post-match press conference – after reportedly giving his flops an almighty talking-to.
But it's not just the Los Blancos boss slamming his stars, with the Spanish media hitting out at the LaLiga champions in brutal manner.
AS called them 'embarrassing', adding: “Madrid fall to Shakhtar's reserves after a terrible first-half.”
Madrid-based Marca even suggested the team are on a staggering decline – and fear for them in this weekend's El Clasico showdown.
Marca wrote: “‘Every day it’s worse: Madrid on a free fall.. and Saturday it's Barcelona”.
And Sport added: “Ridiculous of champions. A terrible level of performance before El Clasico.”
Barcelona-based Mundo Deportivo called it a ‘nightmare before El Clasico'.
After the game, Zidane eventually told reporters: “We lacked the confidence to start the game as we know how.
“In the first half I did not see the team I wanted to see and that is my fault.
“I have to find the solutions that will make us be strong again and get back to winning.
SEE ALSO | Real Madrid Hold Secret Meeting With Mauricio Pochettino
“We lacked a bit of everything – but confidence is the most important thing.”
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago
