Zinedine Zidane Takes Responsibility for Real Madrid's Embarrassing Loss to Shakhtar

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has held himself accountable for his side's shock 3-2 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, but remained confident he can help Los Blancos bounce back.

Despite the fact that Shakhtar were missing almost half their team because of a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad, the Ukrainian side, Madrid found themselves 3-0 down at half time and only managed to claw two goals back after the break - with a late equaliser ruled out by VAR.

It was hardly the ideal preparation for Saturday's trip to Camp Nou to face Barcelona, but Zidane insisted that his side will use it as inspiration as they search for a major reaction in El Clásico.

“I don't have to answer anything," he said of Saturday's game (via AS). "We are going to show up on Saturday at four o'clock and we are going to prepare for the game. The important thing now is tranquillity. It is a negative night and we are going to have to change it.

“It is clear that I am responsible. As the first half was negative for my team, of course, I have not done something right. Because what the players try to do is press up, but they scored the first goal and it cost us.

"We must not forget our previous matches. Today is the second defeat, we are not happy, but we are not going to lower our arms. This has just begun and we want to turn this around and all together. It is carried out all together."

Marca add that there was a feeling of awkwardness in the dressing room after the game as president Florentino Pérez made his customary visit to see the team, with the chief struggling to piece together more than three words at a time.

The players weren't in the best mood either. They felt embarrassed by what had happened and were relieved to see Pérez leave the room after a few minutes.

"I think that collectively we have not played as we wanted, we wanted to press up and play in the opposition half and avoid the opponent's counte rattacks, but we have not succeeded," Raphaël Varane admitted to Movistar+, via Mundo Deportivo.

"It is a difficult moment for the team, but we have a very important game in three days and we plan to win. First we are going to rest and then prepare well for this game. We must give everything on the field and fight for this shirt."

For more from ​Tom Gott, follow him on ​Twitter!