90min

Zinedine Zidane Insists 'Reaction' Was Most Important in 2-2 Gladbach Draw

By Jamie Spencer

Zinedine Zidane insists he was pleased with Real Madrid's performance
Zinedine Zidane insists he was pleased with Real Madrid's performance / DeFodi Images/Getty Images
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Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has claimed that the ‘reaction’ from his team to going 2-0 down against Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League was the most important takeaway as they fought back to draw 2-2 with a stoppage time equaliser.

Following on from the highs of winning the Clasico against Barcelona at Camp Nou, it was a third game in four without a win for Real. Only that last-gasp Casemiro goal prevented it from being three defeats in four, having already lost to Shakhtar Donetsk and Cadiz over the last 11 days.

Real avoided embarrassment when Casemiro scored in the 93rd minute
Real avoided embarrassment when Casemiro scored in the 93rd minute / Lars Baron/Getty Images

Marcus Thurham scored for Gladbach either side of half time, but Karim Benzema pulled one back in the 87th minute and the aforementioned Casemiro completed the comeback to partly spare blushes.

After two rounds of Champions League fixtures, Real sit bottom of their group behind Inter, Gladbach and Shakhtar, but Zidane is determined to focus on positives.

“We had to show all of our discipline and believe that we could get ourselves back into the game. That shows the team's character and, if we perform like that, we're going to achieve big things, I’m sure,” the Frenchman said afterwards, via RealMadrid.com.

“What I'm interested in is the reaction and it's really tough to get yourselves back in the game at 2-0 down in the Champions League and that's what we did. I'm relaxed after seeing the team perform like that and we're going to do something special.”

Zidane insists his team will get results with similar performances
Zidane insists his team will get results with similar performances / DeFodi Images/Getty Images

Zidane insists the key was in the performance, further commenting: “We didn’t panic, we kept opening the pitch up and we showed real character to come back. That’s what I’ll be taking away from this because being 2-0 down in the Champions League and getting a point is a great result. If we keep playing like we did tonight we’ll achieve great things and win games”

Failure to improve results and dropping out of the Champions League at the group stage would represent Real’s first ever failure to reach the knockout rounds of the competition.

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