No excuses for Madrid's big loss, says Zidane

VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH REAL MADRID MANAGER, ZINEDINE ZIDANE, AND VALENCIA MANAGER, JAVI GRACIA

SHOWS: VALENCIA, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 8, 2020)(LA LIGA/MEDIAPRO - FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO RESALES.)

1. REAL MADRID MANAGER, ZINEDINE ZIDANE, ARRIVES FOR NEWS CONFERENCE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID MANAGER, ZINEDINE ZIDANE, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION):

"There's no explanation. There's no excuses. I think it's our game that changed. We started well. But then after the equaliser we dropped our heads. And then after three penalties everything came together and everything went against us today. It was just a bad game and a bad day."

3. ZIDANE SEATED

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID MANAGER, ZINEDINE ZIDANE, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION):

"First of all, we started the game very well and then after the goal we dropped our heads a little bit and we lost the game plan that we wanted to play today, and we conceded three penalties and an own goal as well. It's a bit difficult to understand our result because I thought we played well up until the equaliser."

5. ZIDANE LISTENING TO JOURNALIST

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID MANAGER, ZINEDINE ZIDANE, SAYING IN RESPONSE TO THIBAUT COURTOIS' COMMENT THAT REAL MADRID NEED TO PLAY AS WELL DEFENSIVELY AS THEY DID LAST YEAR (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION):

"We know that Thibaut (Courtois) is right. We were very strong defensively last year and that's what we have to do. If we're not strong enough defensively then the balance of the team is not good enough and we have players who can make a difference in a match-up, and today in particular was a game that was very difficult for us, but particularly after the equaliser - that's changed the game."

7. ZIDANE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE

8. WHITE FLASH

9. VALENCIA MANAGER, JAVI GRACIA, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VALENCIA MANAGER, JAVI GRACIA, SAYING:

"Well, I'm not going to comment on the words of anyone. As I said, I think today the result was based on how well we played. We didn't make them feel comfortable on the ball. We pressed very high up the pitch, we were very brave, we managed to win a lot of balls back, and always pushing high up the pitch. And when we had to defend we defended as well. And then we didn't just have the four goals that we scored, we had quite a few more chances as well - a very clear one in the second-half from (Lee) Kang-in which (Thibaut) Courtois made a very good save in. We had a lot of chances where we could have scored another goal. I'm very happy with the performance we have put in today. Whether the opponent wishes to admit that or not it's a very good performance and a very good three points."

11. JAVI GRACIA LEAVES NEWS CONFERENCE

STORY: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said his side could not hide behind the referee's decisions or their injury and illness woes after they stumbled to a 4-1 defeat at Valencia on Sunday (November 8).

Real conceded three penalties for the first time in their history, all of which were scored by Valencia's Carlos Soler, while Raphael Varane also scored an own goal, after Karim Benzema had given the champions the lead.

Zidane had to make do without a total of six players for Sunday's match after midfield anchor Casemiro and record signing Eden Hazard tested positive for COVID-19, but the coach said nothing excused their performance.

"There's no explanation. There's no excuses," Zidane said. "I think it's our game that changed. We started well. But then after the equaliser we dropped our heads. And then after three penalties everything came together and everything went against us today. It was just a bad game and a bad day."

Meanwhile, Valencia head coach Javi Gracia praised his side, calling them 'brave' and saying they were always willing to work hard to regain the ball.

(Production: Francis Maguire)