Zinedine Zidane Criticises Real Madrid's Start in 2-1 La Liga Defeat to Valencia

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane has blamed a slow start for his side's 2-1 defeat to Valencia on Wednesday, arguing that his team were "too open" and that "one poor touch" in the first 10 minutes was enough to condemn the La Liga leaders to defeat.

"In the first 10 minutes, we lacked concentration without the ball," Zidane said after the game, per AS. "[Simone] Zaza was always between the lines and hurt us. We were too open. One poor touch and you're f--ked."

Zidane's "poor touch" comment refers to the moment when Raphael Varane was carelessly dispossessed in his own half, allowing Valencia to burst forward and score in the ninth minute. It was the final act of a nightmare opening period for the European champions, in which Los Che stormed into a two-goal lead.

Alberto Saiz/Associated Press

Just five minutes earlier, on-loan Juventus striker Zaza scored a spectacular volley from a seemingly harmless position on the edge of the box. Real looked dazed and failed to recover before Valencia netted the crucial second through Fabian Orellana. Cristiano Ronaldo's response just before half-time wasn't enough.

"It's clear that we lost the game in the first 10 minutes," Zidane said, per AS. "We started the game very poorly. Normally, our chief strength is the way we start games, but today it was the complete opposite."

Zidane seemed happy with his team's performance for the majority of the match, but the damage had already been done.

The defeat, Real's second of the season in La Liga, leaves them just a point above Barcelona with one game in hand. Sky Sports Statto used Twitter to illustrate how the result affected both halves of the table:

"They scored two, then we did good things—but it was too late. In the first 10 minutes, we weren't smart or on our guard," Zidane added, per AS.

Real's destiny remains in their own hands, but the title race has been blown wide open by Wednesday's shock result. Zidane, however, did not seem too concerned.

"I'm not worried," he said, per AS. "We're angry about the first 10 minutes. But there are no excuses. In football, your mindset is very important and in the first 10 minutes it wasn't right. We have a game on Sunday [away to Villarreal], and now what we have to do is rest and focus on the next one."

Alberto Saiz/Associated Press

"Focus" is the thing Real lacked in a frantic opening last night, and so Zidane's comments must be taken seriously by his players—their defeat to Valencia is a wake-up call for a side that appeared to be champions-elect amid a difficult season for Barcelona.

Never mind the opening 10 minutes at the Mestalla Stadium, between now and the end of the campaign Real's players must ensure Wednesday is the last time their manager can accuse them of having "lacked concentration."