Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane happy to come through 'difficult' Roma test as side reach Champions League quarter-finals
- UEFA Champions League news, fixtures and schedule: All the latest
- Zinedine Zidane happy Real Madrid achieved their objective against Roma
- Zidane delighted his side kept clean sheets in both legs against Italians
- Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez both scored at the Bernabeu
- Roma coach Luciano Spalletti lamented his side's cutting edge in Madrid
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane reflected on a job well done after his side saw off wasteful Roma to win 2-0 at the Bernabeu and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the sixth season in a row.
Roma were trailing 2-0 from the the first leg, but created enough chances during the first half to be at least on level terms as Edin Dzeko and Mohamed Salah missed great openings.
Madrid eventually made the Italians pay when Cristiano Ronaldo, who hit four goals in the 7-1 La Liga thrashing of Celta Vigo, scored from close range after 64 minutes, James Rodriguez adding a quick second to end any hopes of a recovery.
The Real Madrid players relax in a jacuzzi after overcoming Roma in the Champions League last 16 clash
The Madrid players benefited from a wasteful Roma side at the Bernabeu, scoring twice after riding their luck
'It was a difficult game, but in the end we got our objective which was to go through, and we didn't concede a goal,' Zidane said.
'Over the 90 minutes many things could have happened because we were up against a team with good and fast footballers, but we got the job done.'
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti, however, was in less complimentary mood about his squad, lamenting a lack of a cutting edge.
'We played well and deserve compliments, but the reality is we must grow in terms of mentality, conviction and determination,' Spalletti said to Italian television station Mediaset Premium.
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane watches over his side's below-par performance that still brought victory
Ronaldo gets in front of Kostas Manolas to flash a shot past goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny after 64 minutes
'We are weak and at the first sign of difficulty we cannot be the team that we need to be. It is not as if Real Madrid are going through a great period of form and at the moment they are not irresistible.'
Spalletti's side may have won their last seven Serie A games to climb to third in the table, but the Roma coach believes more hard work needs to be done.
'When I come back into the dressing room after the final whistle and see the players satisfied because they will get compliments for the performance, this creates a disappointment and pain in me that I cannot reconcile,' said Spalletti, who replaced Rudi Garcia in mid-January.
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti lamented his side's cutting edge as the Italians were knocked out of Europe
Ronaldo celebrates his 40th goal of the season with his team-mates as the Portuguese broke the deadlock
James Rodriguez scored Madrid's second goal in the space of three minutes as the Italian side were beaten
'When you go into the dressing room after a 2-0 defeat, you need to be angry and realise the chances you have thrown away over these two games.
'There are matches that will remain in football history forever and are short-cuts to world success, to let everyone see what you can do.
'The regrets are never if you lose, they are if you didn't give everything and take the chance by the scruff of the neck.
'We have got to accept and understand that, otherwise we will just be hurting ourselves.
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