Zinedine Zidane (picture) has no doubt his Real Madrid side have what it to takes to remain at the top of La Liga after a “cruel” setback at Las Palmas on Saturday.

Real suffered the disappointment of just missing out on a top-flight record of 17 consecutive wins when Villarreal held them to a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, and they dropped two further points in Gran Canaria despite leading twice.

Marco Asensio headed them in front and Karim Benzema made it 2-1 midway through the second period, but goals from Tana (38) and Sergio Araujo (85) earned the hosts a point that put them temporarily fifth in the standings.

Real are top but Barcelona’s 5-0 win at Sporting Gijon has left them with just a single-point advantage.

But Zidane was generally pleased with side’s performance and told the Spanish media: “We had controlled the game, but you have to play until the end. Sometimes football could be cruel.”

Cristiano Ronaldo looked deeply unimpressed to be substituted with 18 minutes to go, but Zidane insisted it was no reflection on his performance but merely an effort to keep the Portuguese fit and fresh for the challenges ahead, with a game away to Borussia Dortmund tomorrow.

“I did not take Cristiano off because he was playing badly, but because we play another game on Tuesday (tomorrow) and he has to rest,” the Frenchman said.

“He was playing well, like the others, but I had to think about our upcoming matches as well.”