Schalke coach Roberto Di Matteo has not given up hope of progressing to the Champions League quarterfinals but admits it will be "very difficult" after Real Madrid left Germany with a 2-0 first-leg victory on Wednesday night.
Di Matteo's side started strongly at the Veltins Arena, but Cristiano Ronaldo punished slack defending to head home Dani Carvajal's cross on 26 minutes.
Felix Platte came off the bench to replace the injured Klaas-Jan Huntelaar for the hosts and hit the crossbar with a thunderous effort on his Champions League debut, but Marcelo's fine effort from 20 yards out 11 minutes from time ensured the holders head back to Spain in control of the tie.
Di Matteo -- who won the competition with Chelsea in 2012 -- believes his side were unfortunate to not score against Carlo Ancelotti's side, and told Canal Plus: "It is going to be very difficult in Madrid to win the game, but in football everything is possible. We have to believe and we have to try.
"We played a good game, it was difficult of course against Real today, but if we [had equalised] for 1-1, when we hit the crossbar, maybe the game finishes differently. Real had maybe three chances and scored two goals -- that is the difference in quality."
Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes told ZDF: "We defended well, but before Ronaldo's goal we defended the spaces and didn't man-mark him.
"We waited for the lucky punch but only hit the crossbar, and could not make use of the deflection. Real scored two deciding goals from the chances they created."