MX23RW : Thursday, February 6 07:38:14| >> :60:2546:2546:
[monks data]
Attendance: 93,426
Barcelona logo
La Liga | Gameweek 10
Dec 18, 2019 at 7pm UK
 
Real Madrid logo

0-0

FT

Zidane hails "incredible" performance as Real Madrid hold Barcelona at Camp Nou

Zidane hails
© Reuters
El Clasico ended goalless for the first time since 2002.

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was the happier manager after El Clasico ended goalless for the first time since 2002.

Barcelona maintained their slender advantage on goal difference over their arch-rivals at the top of LaLiga after the Nou Camp stalemate.

The game had been postponed in October due to safety fears surrounding the violent protests in Catalonia and while the draw extended Real's winless El Clasico sequence to seven, Zidane was more than content with a point.

"I'm very happy," Zidane told a press conference. "I think how we went out on the pitch, how we played from the first minute to the last, I think we played an incredible match.

"We were just missing a goal. We deserved a bit more today, but that's football.

"When you have opportunities to score you have to convert them and what we were missing was a bit of clarity in the final touch."

Gareth Bale was restored to Real's starting line-up and he had a second-half effort ruled out for offside by VAR, while Barcelona's best chance fell to Jordi Alba in the first period but he fired wide.

Zidane added: "We have to continue in this way because we are doing very well and I have to congratulate the players because this is not an easy stadium to play at, against a complicated opponent.

"We know the quality of their players, but we controlled the match and played in their half.

"They are not a comfortable team to play when you are going after a win and we have to be happy with the point."

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde admitted his side had found it difficult to impose themselves against organised opponents who were high on energy.

"It was a very disputed match in which there were phases for both teams," Valverde told Movistar.

"They squeezed us high and created problems with high balls. That's where we've suffered."

Madrid's high press was effective and Valverde said: "We expected this. In the end they are situations of individual duels that you must solve. Sometimes we have achieved it and sometimes not."

Ivan Rakitic was a last-minute replacement for Sergio Busquets in Barca's midfield and Valverde added: "It is true that Busquets was feeling bad, he had a fever, before the game.

"We thought we could have used him in the second half but not in the end. The coach makes the decision based on what he sees."

ID:383361: cacheID:383361:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6519:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Barcelona's Lionel Messi in action with Real Madrid's Karim Benzema in La Liga at Camp Nou on December 18, 2019)
Read Next:
European roundup: El Clasico ends goalless for first time in 17 years
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid22154350212949
2Atletico MadridAtletico22146237142348
3Barcelona22143560243645
4Athletic Bilbao22118333201341
5Villarreal22107544331137
6Rayo Vallecano228862624232
7GironaGirona229493130131
8Osasuna227962731-430
9Mallorca2293101928-930
10Real BetisBetis227872528-329
11Real Sociedad2284101819-128
12Sevilla227782430-628
13Celta Vigo2274113135-425
14Getafe225981717024
15Las PalmasLas Palmas2265112736-923
16Leganes225891930-1123
17Espanyol2265112133-1223
18AlavesAlaves2256112534-921
19Valencia2247112237-1519
20Real ValladolidValladolid2243151547-3215


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!