November 2 – Cristiano Ronaldo insists there is no crisis at European champions Real Madrid after they were humbled 3-1 by Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions league having suffered a shock defeat by Girona in La Liga last weekend.
Real have endured their worst start to a domestic campaign for five years – they trail Barcelona by eight points – and will almost certainly have to be content with the runner-up spot in their Champions League group after losing to a rampant Tottenham on their first ever appearance at Wembley.
The Londoners, already qualified for the last 16, will seal top spot if they win one of their last two games away to Borussia Dortmund or home to Apoel Nicosia.
“You can’t always be at your best – there are good moments and bad moments,” said Ronaldo, who had never been on the losing side against Tottenham, including 11 matches when he played for Manchester United.
“We’re relaxed. What counts is what happens at the end (of the season), not what happens now. We need to stay calm. We’re not in the best moment – we have to accept that and keep working. We could lose three, four, five games and I still wouldn’t think there’s a crisis.
“We’re in a bad run and we want to change things. We’ve got a long way to go in order to do that but I’m sure we will. Football is about winning but people forget the good things this side did a few months ago. I don’t think it’s a question of attitude. We won’t hide, we’ll work to turn this around.”
Real had not lost a group stage game in the Champions League for five years, a run stretching back 30 games, and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, largely responsible for turning the hugely supported club into regular top-four finishers and Premier League title contenders, said Wednesday’s win, which will reverberate around Europe, proved Spurs were now able to keep company with the best in the business.
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