Zinedine Zidane has put Real Madrid's below-par display against Espanyol down to fatigue, admitting that he is 'worried' by the lack of rest afforded to his players.
Los Blancos have yet to hit the heights of last season in La Liga this time around, battling to a 2-0 win at the Bernabeu on Sunday for their first home triumph of the campaign.
Madrid have played seven games in the space of three weeks, including a midweek trip to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, which Zidane blames for the defending champions' latest sluggish performance.
"We started very well and then in the second half we were a little tired because it's normal to be tired after many games," he told reporters. "What worries me is that a lot of my players will not rest because they go with their international teams."
Asked about the injury problem which kept Gareth Bale sidelined, Zidane added: "He could have been in the squad, but since he still had trouble, we decided to leave him out. He's had a lot of games and he's had a four-month injury and in the end it's a precaution."
Madrid face Getafe, Tottenham Hotspur and Eibar in the space of eight days following the two-week international break.
Daniel Lewis
