Zidane relieved with win as Real Madrid are pushed hard by bottom club Osasuna

Posted Sunday, February 12, 2017 by PA

Zinedine Zidane was relieved after Real Madrid dug out three points at Osasuna to go back to the top of LaLiga.

Real made hard work of their trip to bottom-of-the-table Osasuna on Saturday evening, but goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and Lucas Vazquez took them a point back above Barcelona.

The European champions did not always impress but got the job done thanks to Ronaldo's first-half opener, Isco's second just after the hour following Sergio Leon's equaliser for Osasuna, and finally via Vazquez deep into stoppage time.

"All I can say is we've come through a tough match," said Zidane.

"Our opponents pressed us hard and made things difficult. There were lots of chances, and we've banked the three points - that's the most important thing."

Zidane had predicted before kick-off that Osasuna might be awkward opponents, even though they have still yet to win a league match at home all season.

"We knew Osasuna were a team who would be tough to play against on their own patch and we expected to have to suffer," he said.

"We struggled, but we've got the three points and we're happy.

"We lacked concentration at times ... but we knew we could do it."

The victory came in Madrid captain Sergio Ramos' 500th match for the club, and Zidane paid tribute to the 30-year-old defender.

"We know how Sergio is," he said.

"He's our captain, he's very important and it doesn't surprise me he's played so many matches.

"I hope he carries on for a long time, and he deserves everything that is happening to him.

"He is an example, and shows the way for the whole team."

Osasuna matched their illustrious opponents throughout the first half.

Zidane said: "There didn't seem to be any difference at times between the leaders and the bottom team... (but) we were a lot better in the second half.

"We made lots of chances and had a better balance."

Osasuna defender Tano broke his leg in a challenge with Isco after only quarter-of-an-hour, and Real lost their right-back Danilo to injury in the second half.

"I wanted to get more balance, and after losing Danilo to injury I had to change things," said Zidane, whose team return to Champions League action at home to Napoli on Wednesday.

"I felt for their player. We'll know more about Danilo tomorrow, but I think in the end it's a blow."

As for the ongoing battle for supremacy with Barcelona - who trounced Alaves 6-0 in their afternoon kick-off - Zidane predicts it will go to the wire this season.

"We weren't going to worry they'd gone ahead," he said.

"It's going to be like this all the way through the season.

"We can't relax - we've just got to keep winning."