Zidane takes blame as Real Madrid suffer humiliating defeat

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Real Madrid crashed to a humiliating Copa del Rey exit on Wednesday when they were knocked out by little Leganes in the quarter-finals with under-fire coach Zinedine Zidane taking the blame.
European champions Real lost 2-1 in the second leg at their Bernabeu home as the tie finished 2-2 on aggregate with their modest city neighbours going through on away goals despite having lost the first leg 1-0 last week.
ā€œI am responsible for all of this. Itā€™s a failure for me,ā€ said Zidane who recently penned a contract extension until 2020.
Admitting that it had been his worst night as a coach, the Frenchman added: ā€œItā€™s a logical result, our opponents played their match and we did not.
ā€œIt is a big blow. We did what we had to do in the first leg. Nobody expected this, especially me but this is football.
ā€œI am the manager. I picked the team and I was wrong in many regards. Itā€™s up to me to find the solutions. I will continue to fight, to work, to battle and to find the things the team needs.ā€
Javi Eraso gave Leganes a 32nd-minute lead with a spectacular curling shot from long range.
Karim Benzema levelled on the night after 47 minutes thanks to a pass from Lucas Vazquez but Brazilian striker Gabriel Pires then hit the winner with a firm header eight minutes later.
It was a depressing evening for Zinedine Zidaneā€™s side who, despite being in the Champions League last 16 where they face Paris Saint-Germain in three weeksā€™ time, are 19 points behind Barcelona in the Spanish title race.
The fans let their feelings known by booing off the team at half-time.
Leganes have a budget of just 45 million euros ā€” six times less than the 675 million euros commanded by mighty Real.
Even without Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, who were rested Wednesday after starring in the 7-1 rout of Deportivo La Coruna at the weekend, Real should still have had enough firepower for a side languishing in 13th spot in La Liga.
Zidane started with Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio, who scored in the first leg but he got a warning of what was to come when Claudio Beauvue saw a free-kick come back off a post.
But Leganes put on an inspired display, despite backs to the wall late in the game, to make the semi-finals for the first time.
In the nightā€™s other game, Valencia made the semi-finals but needed a 3-2 penalty shoot-out to defeat Alaves who won 2-1 for a 3-3 aggregate.
On Tuesday, Sergio Escuderoā€™s goal after just 24 seconds set Sevilla on their way to a 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid and a place in the semi-finals. Sevilla, finalists in 2016, had won the first leg 2-1.
Meanwhile, Brazilian Ā playmaker Philippe Coutinho has been named in the Barcelona squad for Thursdayā€™s Copa del Rey clash against Espanyol, his first call-up since his 160 million euros ($194 million, Ā£142 million) move from Liverpool.
Coutinho, who has been handed the number 14 shirt vacated by China-bound Javier Mascherano, had been sidelined by a thigh injury since his drawn-out transfer saga came to an end on January 6.
The 14 shirt was alao worn by the clubā€™s Dutch legend Johan Cruyff who died in 2016.
Coutinho has been cleared to make his debut at Camp Nou as Barcelona look to overturn a 1-0 defeat to Espanyol in the first leg of their quarter-final clash.
Coutinho spent six months with Barcelonaā€™s city rivals on loan in 2012.
Club captain Andres Iniesta and striker Paco Alcacer were also included in the 19-man squad for Thursdayā€™s game as was Colombian defender Yerry Mina, another transfer window recruit.
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