BARCELONA: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is not worried by his team's performances following three successive draws but knows they have a lot of work to do to return to winning ways.

The European champions have struggled to maintain their flying start to the season and after equalling the La Liga record for 16 wins in a row have failed to beat Villarreal, Las Palmas and Borussia Dortmund.

Real twice squandered the lead in their last two games, drawing 2-2 against Las Palmas and Dortmund, and they host Eibar on Sunday.

“When you draw twice it means something, especially when you had the game under control. We had a lot of chances but I'm not worried,” Zidane told a news conference on Saturday.

“We've conceded twice in the last two games and that hasn't happened to us for a long time. Now we have to get back to winning, because we always want to win. The most important thing is to be at our best from the start to the finish.”

The coach also said he was not bothered by the criticism he and his players have come in for.

“This is Real Madrid, the biggest of all the big clubs and this is how it is, but even knowing that I'm trying to find solutions, finding out why we lacked concentration at Las Palmas,” he said.

“If tomorrow we don't play well I know what can happen, even though we won the Champions League last season. I know where I am.”

Real entertain Eibar without influential midfielder Luka Modric, who sustained a knee injury against Dortmund, and captain Sergio Ramos, who is being rested and was absent from Saturday's training session.

Zidane confirmed midfielder Isco would make his first start of the season in place of Modric.

Isco was named in the Spain squad for World Cup qualifiers against Italy and Albania despite playing just 55 minutes of league football this campaign.

Isco sustained an ankle injury at the start of September and has struggled to dislodge Modric as the team's primary playmaker.

“He's going to play tomorrow because he's in good shape and because he's an important player,” Zidane said.

“There's a reason he's been called up by Spain despite playing. I'm one of Isco's biggest fans, now he's fit and is an important player for us.”

Opinion

Enter the deputy PM

Enter the deputy PM

Clearly, something has changed since for this step to have been taken and there are shifts in the balance of power within.

Editorial

All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...
Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...