Storm Filamena means Real Madrid's trip to leave Pamplona has no end in sight
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E-mail Xinhua, January 10, 2021
MADRID, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid could only draw 0-0 in their game against Osasuna in a snowy El Sadar Stadium on Saturday night, but two dropped points is perhaps the least of their worries in a journey that so far has no end in sight.
Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane complained that the game should not have been played on a pitch that had been maintained in conditions by 40 workers who made a marathon effort to ensure it was playable in the middle of difficult conditions, but although Madrid midfielder Tony Kroos was right to say conditions were the same for both sides, Madrid do have a point about being made to travel.
As their plane was waiting on the runway of Madrid's Barajas Airport on Friday night, the plane carrying the Athletic Club team to face Atletico Madrid was forced to turn around and fly back to Bilbao as it was impossible to land at the same airport.
Real Madrid's flight finally took off with a three-hour delay (which the players spent inside the aircraft) and reached Pamplona with no problems.
However, with Storm Filamena causing travel chaos throughout Spain with record snowfalls, it is still not certain when the Real Madrid expedition can return home.
Madrid airport remains closed on Sunday, while rail links to the capital also remain suspended and roads are impassible leaving Zidane and company stranded in Pamplona.
Speaking after the game, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois expressed his frustration.
"It's a bit lamentable that we were made to travel by La Liga, while other teams were not. I think we all knew this storm was coming for a while," he said.
"It's not just the question of having to play, but we took off from a half-frozen runway in the snow and now we can't get back," he complained, reminding people that Madrid will face Athletic Club in the semifinal of the Spanish Supercup on Thursday.
"Maybe now we will have to fly straight to Malaga and La Liga should remember that we are people and not just a show that has to go on," complained the keeper. Enditem
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