REAL Madrid’s desperate draw against Legia Warsaw has been dubbed the “worst night in the club’s history” by the Spanish media.
Los Blanco threw away two-goal lead before eventually rescuing a point in Poland.
MARCA used the fact the stadium was without fans — due to a Uefa ban for racist chanting in the defeat to Borussia Dortmund — to highlight other things missing on the night.
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Namely: intensity, motivation and a defence.
Though, they did stress that this made it 27 unbeaten for the Champions League holders.
While AS called it a “chaotic draw” — and claimed that Real Madrid were undone as soon as Legia discovered their weakness.
Gareth Bale’s wonder goal inside the first minute looked to set Zinedine Zidane’s men up for an easy victory, which would seal qualification.
And when Karim Benzema doubled the lead on 35 minutes, it was a question of how many they would score.
However, Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe reduced arrears just before half-time, before Miroslav Radovic equalised on 58 minutes.
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And it got worse for the 11-time European champions when Thibault Moulin put the hosts ahead with a superb strike.
Mateo Kovacic equalised just two minutes later, but Real Madrid had to settle for the draw, which puts their chances of topping the group in serious jeopardy.
It shows the nature of the club that many consider a draw — which could ultimately have very little consequence — their worst night in history.
Maybe they have forgotten the 4-0 drubbing at Anfield in 2009.
But one thing this does highlight is their shocking strength in depth.
Marco Asensio — who no doubt has a bright future in the game, but is not an elite player in the here and now — Lucas Vasquez and Mariano were the players Zidane called on to try and rescue the match.
Isco, who must surely be out the door in January, Danilo and Tejero Sacristan were the unused outfield subs.
While Nacho and Kovacic started on the night.
There is no doubt they have a first XI to match anyone in Europe — but Luka Modric and Casemiro are big misses in the centre of the park.
And, if anything should happen to Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, their second string is just way off.
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