'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Record 13-time European champions Real Madrid's season just went from bad to worse after an embarrassing defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. The loss adds to a growing list of shocking results for the Blancos, who have already lost to Cadiz, Valencia, Alaves, and Shakhtar earlier on in the season. However, the significance of their most recent defeat is that it has put them on the brink of elimination from the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.
Their situation in the league is also a precarious one, as they've already registered as many losses as they did over 38 games last year. With Zinedine Zidane's men now left with a herculean task on their hands, here, we take a look at the latest Real Madrid news.
Zinedine Zidane reiterates that he will not resign
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has stated that he is not going to resign in the wake of their latest defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk. The Frenchman's troops were stunned in Ukraine by a spirited Shakhtar, who beat them 2-0 on the night to complete a historic double over the Spanish champions.
Speaking after the game, Zidane expressed;
"No, not at all. I’m not going to resign. It’s a bad result, but we have to continue. We’ve had difficult moments before. We have another match left in this group and we have to win."
The 48-year-old continued,
"I don’t think we deserved to win the match in LaLiga the other day [against Alaves], but I do think we deserved to win this one today. We were good in the first half. Their [Shakhtar's] goals then did us a lot of damage because we were playing well and pressing well high up. We had two or three chances and hit the post, but the ball didn’t want to go in. Then, it got complicated."
The Real Madrid coach addressed their tricky situation in their UCL group, saying;
"What happened today was a shame because we didn’t deserve it, but now we’ll have to win the next match. But, we’re going to believe and we’re going to fight."
Real Madrid are set to play host to an in-form Borussia Monchengladbach in the Spanish capital in the final round of group stage fixtures.
Real Madrid could potentially offer Eden Hazard for Kylian Mbappe
In what could be a high-profile deal for both sides, reports have suggested that Real Madrid could potentially use Eden Hazard as part of the deal to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain. The Blancos appear to be in all sorts of trouble and are in dire need of attacking reinforcements, and Mbappe is a player that they have desired for quite some time.
Spanish journalist Eduardo Inda of El Chiringuito claims that Real Madrid are considering an offer to the French champions that would include Eden Hazard as part of the deal. The Belgian skipper and former Chelsea legend has endured a nightmare spell at the capital club and could be open to a move away.
Should PSG accept the deal, they will be getting a player who has a vast amount of experience playing in Ligue 1, as Hazard won the league title and won two Player of the Year awards in France prior to his move to London.
This could also potentially be a killer blow to Liverpool's hopes of landing Mbappe. The English champions have been the other club who have been linked heavily with the French World Cup-winner, and as per Le Parisien, they are keen on landing his signature as well.
Roman Calderon blases Florentino Perez over Cristiano Ronaldo 'mistake'
Former Los Blancos chief Roman Calderon has questioned Florentino Perez's decision to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to depart from the club in 2018. The Portuguese football icon won his third consecutive UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid after which he shocked the world with his decision to leave the Blancos and move to Juventus. Speaking on Ronaldo, Calderon remarked;
"That attitude and his [Cristiano Ronaldo's] natural conditions make him unbeatable. Without a doubt, he is an example for young people who aspire to succeed in the sport. The player understood that it [joining Real Madrid] was a great opportunity to advance his career and obtain titles and earn personal recognition."
"He was not wrong, he achieved four Ballons d'Or and four Champions League titles, and set records in terms of goals scored in several seasons. Something within reach of very few people."
Calderon went on to blast Florentino Perez for his 'mistake' of allowing Ronaldo to leave the club, saying;
"It was a big mistake by the current president [Florentino Perez] to sell him for €110m after nine years in the team. It is a pity because he is showing in Italy [with Juventus] that he is still one of the best in the world."
Despite winning a record 34th LaLiga Santander title last year, Real Madrid have struggled remarkably in Europe since Cristiano Ronaldo departed, and could fail to make it past the group stage of the UCL for the very first time.
