Real Madrid made to pay for terrible start

Football Soccer - Valencia v Real Madrid - Spanish La Liga Santander - Mestalla stadium, Valencia, Spain, 22/02/17 Real Madrid's coach Zinedine Zidane reacts during the match. REUTERS/Heino Kalis

MADRID (Reuters) - Zinedine Zidane's fears that Real Madrid's lack of intensity at the start of games would eventually cost his team have proved well founded.

On Wednesday night, away against a Valencia side that has endured its worst season in many years, Real showed a defensive frailty that allowed their opponents to score twice in the opening nine minutes on their way to a 2-1 upset of the La Liga leaders.