Theo Hernandez says Real Madrid “need Cristiano Ronaldo” back after his side drew 1-1 against Levante at the Bernabeu.
A slow start by a much-changed Real team was punished when Ivi Lopez fired newly-promoted Levante into a shock lead after just 12 minutes.
Real responded thanks to Lucas Vazquez’s equaliser before half-time, but failed to break Levante’s resistance despite incessant pressure as Bale, Marcelo and Toni Kroos came close in the second-half.
Hernandez, who made his debut at left-back, said of the draw: “We’re hurting because of the draw. But we’ll keep working hard and fighting to get points on the board. We’ll take it game by game.
“We’re not happy with the result but we have to start thinking about Wednesday and the Champions League. We played our game. We had chances and we didn’t take them. Levante had one and they scored from it.”
The foul which got Marcelo sent off
Marcelo will join Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos in being suspended after he was sent off and Hernandez added: “We need all the players who have been suspended, one hundred percent. But the referee made his decision and that’s that.
“We need Cristiano back with us now so he can score goals.”