<p class="title">Real Madrid's goalless draw with Atletico Madrid on Saturday in La Liga was not an entertaining spectacle but it proved Zinedine Zidane's side are heading in the right direction.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After conceding in each of their first five matches in all competitions, drawing with Valladolid and Villarreal in La Liga and suffering a 3-0 thrashing by Paris St. Germain in the Champions League, Spanish media said Real Madrid were in crisis.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, wins over Sevilla and Osasuna and the derby draw at the Wanda Metropolitano have left Madrid top of the table with 15 points from seven matches.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The stalemate with Atletico meant that for the first time in either of Zidane's eras at the club, Madrid have kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We've been working on (defending), to be more solid," Madrid captain Sergio Ramos told Movistar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Everything that you can add is good and I think that our morale is really high at this moment."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Madrid conceded nine goals in their first five games but have steadied the ship, much to the delight of Zidane.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The coach picked Fede Valverde to play in midfield with Casemiro and Toni Kroos, instead of the more attacking options of James Rodriguez or Isco.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"(Valverde) did very good work for the team, he always gets involved, he's improving," said the French coach. "I took that decision, he played well and I took him off because he felt something; I'm happy with his work.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We deserved more than a point, I've got to congratulate my players because we were solid, keeping a clean sheet.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We were really good defensively, we're lacking something going forward but we're working on that." </p>
<p class="title">Real Madrid's goalless draw with Atletico Madrid on Saturday in La Liga was not an entertaining spectacle but it proved Zinedine Zidane's side are heading in the right direction.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After conceding in each of their first five matches in all competitions, drawing with Valladolid and Villarreal in La Liga and suffering a 3-0 thrashing by Paris St. Germain in the Champions League, Spanish media said Real Madrid were in crisis.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, wins over Sevilla and Osasuna and the derby draw at the Wanda Metropolitano have left Madrid top of the table with 15 points from seven matches.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The stalemate with Atletico meant that for the first time in either of Zidane's eras at the club, Madrid have kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We've been working on (defending), to be more solid," Madrid captain Sergio Ramos told Movistar.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Everything that you can add is good and I think that our morale is really high at this moment."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Madrid conceded nine goals in their first five games but have steadied the ship, much to the delight of Zidane.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The coach picked Fede Valverde to play in midfield with Casemiro and Toni Kroos, instead of the more attacking options of James Rodriguez or Isco.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"(Valverde) did very good work for the team, he always gets involved, he's improving," said the French coach. "I took that decision, he played well and I took him off because he felt something; I'm happy with his work.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We deserved more than a point, I've got to congratulate my players because we were solid, keeping a clean sheet.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We were really good defensively, we're lacking something going forward but we're working on that." </p>