Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has conceded that his job is on the line following the club's humiliating exit from the Copa del Rey at the hands of Leganes last night.
The Spanish minnows recorded a famous 2-1 win at the Bernabeu to book their places in the semi-final of the competition as Los Blancos slumped to their third defeat in the last five home games.
Madrid have also been in woeful form in the league and currently sit 19 points behind leaders Barcelona, meaning that the Champions League now represents their only realistic chance at silverware this season.
"In the end the result is logical, as the opponent played their game, and we did not," Zidane told reporters at his post-match press conference. "I am responsible for this, it is a failure for me today. I am very disappointed, and will take responsibility of all this.
"I am angry with myself, not with my players. My players tried, ran, maybe they played badly, they have part of the blame, but I am the most responsible. You cannot explain our first half tonight.
"So I must find solutions. I must take on this situation. I will keep fighting always, keep working, try and look for things to make the team better. Nothing more.
"What we must do is think that hard work is how we get out of this. We must give more, me first, as all that we have given so far is not enough, we must give more, train harder, help each other more, and we will try and do that.
"You can ask 'what happens now?' We will continue, we must change this, there are many games left to do it. Today is a failure for me."
Next up for Madrid is a trip to third-placed Valencia on Saturday afternoon.
Neil Wilkes
