The ex-Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso bemoaned the fact that his Real Madrid team got beat by Barcelona 1-0 on Sunday, and thinks that they deserved at least a draw from the match against the European Champions.

Barcelona leapfrogged Madrid at the top of La Liga thanks to a blistering goal by Zlatan Ibrahimovich, but Alonso doesn’t think it was a fair result.

“I feel like we could have done better,” Alonso said.

“We deserved more. We had more chances, especially in the first half. It’s a shame.

“It was a neck-and-neck battle from start to finish. Perhaps they had more possession, but we had better opportunities. They didn’t feel comfortable on the pitch.

“It’s a pity we couldn’t score first because I am sure the outcome would have been much different.

“We played close together and knew how to move the ball quickly in attack, but all we missed out on was a goal.”

“It was an important match, but it wasn’t decisive,” he continued. “There is a long season ahead and each match is another step towards the goal. Now we must focus on Almeria.’

Is Alonso destined to finish second again this season?