Record 13-time champions Real Madrid faces an embarrassing group-stage exit after losing 2-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Zinedine Zidane's side would have advanced with a win on Tuesday, but it has defended poorly all season and was undone by counterattack goals in the second half. Instead of progressing, Madrid dropped to third place in Group B behind the Ukrainian side and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Madrid has advanced to the knockout stage in all 24 of its previous group-stage campaigns but things are looking tense. Madrid has conceded nine goals in five games for its worst-ever defensive record at this stage, losing twice to a Shakhtar side which leaked 10 goals in two defeats to Gladbach.
Brazilian forward Dentinho profited from a mix-up between Ferland Mendy and Raphael Varane to net in the 57th minute following a counterattack. Zidane's players failed to take heed and the second stemmed from another counter as substitute Manor Solomon finished confidently.
Real Madrid have won only one out of their last five fixtures in all competitions. The Zidane-led side suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat against Alaves in La Liga on Sunday, November 29.
With another defeat, fans are now demanding Zidane's sacking.
Check out some tweets:
But the Frenchman is going to stay. "I am not going to resign, not at all," said Zidane following the 2-0 loss.
"We are always going to have difficult moments, and we are on a bad run, but we need to keep going.
"I have the strength needed to turn the situation around and I am going to give everything to do that. So are the players.
"We played well and we deserved more. We just need to lift our heads up and think about the next game."
