MADRID (Reuters) -Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso called on his team to learn from their 5-2 thrashing by Atletico Madrid on Saturday, a result he described as both painful and deserved.
The loss was Real's first defeat of the LaLiga season and the first time in 75 years that Atletico have scored five goals against their city rivals.
Alonso, speaking to reporters, admitted that his side had fallen short of their usual standards. "We didn't start well but this is ongoing. We must draw conclusions, because this is ongoing. It's a deserved defeat... we lacked a gear. A defeat that hurts, yes," he said.
Despite the setback, Alonso believes the humbling result could have a silver lining. "Perhaps it will be beneficial for the future. We didn't start well in the duels, in the ball to space. We were too much like losers. The game didn't flow. A bad match overall, a deserved defeat," he acknowledged.
"The explanation is that we did not perform at our usual level. And it has to hurt, but it has to be a pain that we use positively.
"We lacked intensity and focus. How to counteract this better. We had an idea but we need to evaluate it further. We didn't compete enough, not at the level required for these matches, against these opponents. And we'll have to raise it," he said.
Asked what had frustrated him most about the performance, Alonso said: "I could see that we weren't playing at our best and that we lacked rhythm and intensity."
Addressing the fans, Alonso, who took over at Real Madrid in May when Carlo Ancelotti became Brazil's national team coach, urged patience and resilience. "As part of the process of progress and development, there are going to be tough days. How we react is what matters. We're still in a phase of development," he said.
The result leaves Real Madrid atop the LaLiga standings with 18 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who have a game in hand. Atletico Madrid climb to fourth with 12 points after their historic win.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; editing by Clare Fallon)
