MX23RW : Friday, November 15 08:29:46| >> :60:1144:1144:
[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: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
1Barcelona13110240122833
2Real Madrid1283125111427
3Atletico MadridAtletico137511971226
4Villarreal127322319424
5Osasuna136341720-321
6Athletic Bilbao135531913620
7Real BetisBetis135531412220
8Real Sociedad135351110118
9Mallorca135351010018
10GironaGirona135351617-118
11Celta Vigo135262022-217
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15AlavesAlaves134181422-813
16Las PalmasLas Palmas133371622-612
17Getafe13175811-310
18Espanyol123181122-1110
19Real ValladolidValladolid132381025-159
20Valencia11146817-97


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!