Zinedine Zidane defends team selection as Real Madrid crash out of Copa del Rey

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Malik Ouzia @MalikOuzia_7 February 2020

Zinedine Zidane has defended his team selection after Real Madrid were knocked out of the Copa del Rey in a thrilling quarter-final clash with Real Sociedad.

Zidane made seven changes to the side that had beaten Atletico in the Madrid derby at the weekend, and it showed as his side fell 4-1 behind to goals from Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and an Alexander Isak brace.

Late strikes from Nacho and substitute Rodrygo threatened a turn around, but it was too late, as Sociedad inflicted Madrid’s first home defeat of the season, and first anywhere since October.

"I don't think our team selection was wrong," Zidane said. "I put a team out that I thought could do well.

Zidane was made to pay for resting several stars as Madrid crashed out
REUTERS

"There is an opposing team who has played very well and hurt us. We're all together at this club; when we all win and when we all lose.

“The feelings are bad because we lost. This is just football, the match has been lost, period, that’s it. We now have to think about LaLiga.

"Elimination hurts, we have to tell the truth, we don't like defeat, but we have a game on Sunday [at Osasuna] and we're going to focus on it.

"You have to recover from a big effort. We have to continue, there is no choice."

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