Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane insists he won't resign, despite finding himself on the brink of Europa League football.
Los Blancos lost 2-0 away to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday evening.
It meant the Ukrainian side became just the third in Champions League history to inflict back-to-back defeats upon Real in the group stage. Only Juventus and CSKA Moscow had previously managed the feat.
Zidane's side will entertain Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday week, and fight for their Champions League lives.
Things aren't much better on the domestic front.
Real have won just one point out of the last nine available, and are seven points adrift of leaders Real Sociedad with a game in hand.
Despite the mounting pressure, Zidane is holding firm.
"I'm not going to resign, [it'd be] no use," the Frenchman said after the latest defeat in Kiev, "We were very good in the first half, but we were missing goals. We were pressing well, playing well.
The ball didn't want to go in. We had chances, [we hit] the post, and then it got complicated.
"I'm strong and I'm going to give everything. I think we deserved to win. We had chances. We can't let our heads drop. When you have a bad run, you have to keep going."
Real's hierarchy are believed to be keen on avoiding a drop into Europa League football.
Whether he wants to go or not, Zidane's days at the Bernabeu may yet be running out, but he's not going to walk.
"I don't think there's a problem, lots of things are coming together [at the same time]," Zidane added.
"We created chances, it's not to do with our game. We're struggling to score goals. An opening goal would've made the game easier for us.
"I'm optimistic. It's a difficult moment, but we have to have character and pride,
"Today's result is a shame because we didn't deserve it. We have to win the next game. We're going to believe and we're going to fight, I'm sure of it."
Kevin Doyle | Football and concussion
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