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Zinedine Zidane Didn't Even Return To The Dressing Room After 7-3 Defeat To Atletico Madrid

Zinedine Zidane Didn't Even Return To The Dressing Room After 7-3 Defeat To Atletico Madrid

Even for a pre-season game, the Real Madrid boss wasn't happy...

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Zinedine Zidane didn't return to the Real Madrid dressing room after seeing his side humbled 7-3 by Atletico Madrid in New Jersey.

Diego Costa scored four and was sent off for sparking a 22-man brawl alongside Dani Carvajal in the crazy 10-goal thriller across the pond, with Atleti's record signing Joao Felix also on the scoresheet along with Angel Correa and Vitolo.

Diego Simeone's side were 6-0 up before Real replied through Nacho Fernandez on the hour mark and they were then leading by a staggering 7-1 scoreline with 20 minutes remaining.

Los Blancos reduced the deficit ever so slightly with late strikes from Karim Benzema and Javi Hernandez but this remained an embarrassing performance and result at the hands of their bitter rivals.

And according to AS, Zidane was so annoyed of the manner in which Real lost that he didn't even head back to the dressing room after the game to speak to his players - instead doing his post-match presser straight away before hopping on the team bus away from the MetLife Stadium.

Despite the dismal defeat, however, Zidane said he wasn't concerned but was "hurt" by the showing from his players.

"It was a bad game and now we have to focus on what went wrong, so we can try and make sure it doesn't happen again in the next match," he told reporters after the International Champions Cup game, as per the Evening Standard.

"We don't need to dwell on it, this is a pre-season game. They were better in every respect and that's all there is to it."

"We just really lacked the intensity you need at this level. But I'm convinced I've got a team here that is going to compete at the top level. We'll be motivated and hungry to keep going, I have no doubt about it.

"I'm convinced we're going to have a good season. This won't change what we're looking to achieve this season. The players are not letting me down, we're just preparing for the new season and we have to remain calm. We have to be ready for when LaLiga comes around."

Gareth Bale came off the bench to play the last half-an-hour of the game and appeared to laugh in the direction of Zidane when Real were 7-1 down.

The Welshman, who has had a frosty relationship with his manager, is poised to end his six-year stay in Madrid and join Chinese Super League outfit Jiangsu Suning in a lucrative deal.

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Topics: Football News, Football, International Champions Cup, Atletico Madrid, Zinedine Zidane, Diego Costa, Spain, Spanish football, Real Madrid, La Liga