Tiger Woods is "awake, responsive and recovering" following a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after Tuesday's near-fatal car crash.

Woods was "very fortunate" to survive a single-car accident in California that left the 15-time major champion with serious leg injuries and question marks hanging over his career.

The 45-year-old American superstar underwent emergency surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center – where a rod was inserted into his tibia, while screws and pins were used to stabilise his foot and ankle – after an early morning crash that saw his car roll "several hundred feet", according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Woods, who had to be pulled from his vehicle with specialist equipment and an axe, was already recovering from back surgery ahead of April's Masters at Augusta.

"We thank everyone for the overwhelming support and messages during this tough time," a statement read via Woods' official Twitter account.

"As previously communicated, Tiger was involved in a single-car accident earlier this morning in California. He has undergone a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought into hospital.

"He is currently awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room. Thank you to the wonderful doctors and hospital staff at Habor-UCLA Medical Center, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and the Fire Department. Your support and assistance have been outstanding.

"There are no further updates at this time and we continue to thank you for your well-wishes and privacy for him and his family."

Chief medical officer and interim CEO at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Anish Mahajan added: "Mr. Woods suffered significant orthopaedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopaedic trauma specialists at Harbour-UCLA Medical Center, a level one trauma center.

"Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilised by inserting a rod into the tibia. Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilised with a combination of screws and pins.

"Trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to the swelling."

James Harden and Anthony Davis headline the reserves for next month's NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets will captain their respective sides – Team LeBron and Team Durant – in the 70th All-Star contest on March 7.

Nets guard and former MVP Harden has been named an All-Star for the ninth consecutive year as he headlines the Eastern Conference reserves, which also includes Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers), Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum (both Boston Celtics), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Julius Randle (New York Knicks) and Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic).

Brown, LaVine and Randle have earned All-Star selection for the first time in their careers.

Lakers star Davis is the pick of the Western Conference reserves, alongside 11-time All-Star Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns.

Joining the pair as reserves from the west are Paul George (Los Angeles Clippers), Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert (both Utah Jazz), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) and Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans) – who is a first-time All-Star.

The All-Star Game rosters will be determined through a March 4 draft, where James and Durant will select from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference.

The 10 All-Star Game starters were unveiled last week, with Durant, Kyrie Irving (Nets) two-time reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards) and Joel Embiid (76ers) in the Eastern Conference starter pool.

James, Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) are in the Western Conference starter pool.

76ers head coach Doc Rivers will coach Team Durant, while Quin Snyder of the Jazz will coach Team LeBron.

Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick said the Champions League holders took a giant step towards the quarter-finals following their 4-1 demolition of Lazio.

It was one-way traffic in Rome, where Bayern made light work of hosts Lazio in the opening leg of the last-16 tie on Tuesday.

Robert Lewandowski, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane were on target in the opening 45 minutes before Lazio's Francesco Acerbi turned the ball into his own net within two minutes of the second-half restart.

Joaquin Correa pulled a goal back for Lazio two minutes later, but Bundesliga champions Bayern are in complete control of the knockout clash.

Bayern are now unbeaten in their last 18 Champions League games (W17 D1) – the fourth-longest such streak in the competition's history and the longest since a run of 25 for Manchester United in May 2009.

"Everyone lived up to expectations," Flick said post-match. "We turned in a very good team performance.

"We wanted to put our opponents under pressure from the start, it worked out well. We often won the ball high up the field, created chances and made the most of them. We're very pleased today.

"We want to advance to the quarter-finals, and today we took a giant stride towards our goal. But there's still a second match to play."

Musiala – just the second 17-year-old to start a Champions League knockout fixture for Bayern – enjoyed a memorable outing in the Italian capital, where he doubled the lead after Lewandowski's opener.

At 17 years and 363 days, Musiala became the youngest Englishman to score in the Champions League.

He also became the second-youngest player to score in the knockout stages of the Champions League, after Bojan (17 years and 217 days) netted for Barcelona against Schalke in the quarter-finals in 2007-08.

"We are very happy that he produced a good performance just like the whole team. The goal shows what he's about. He is very good when he has the ball and can play well between the lines," Flick added.

"He has a good feeling for open space on the pitch. He did well, just like the other players. We are happy with his goal and satisfied with his performance."

Spanish star Jon Rahm said he hopes Tiger Woods "can still play with his kids and have a normal life" after the golf great was involved in a single-car crash.

Woods was "very fortunate" to survive a car crash in California on Tuesday that left the 15-time major champion with serious leg injuries and question marks hanging over his career.

The 45-year-old American superstar underwent surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center after an early morning crash that saw his car roll "several hundred feet", according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Woods, who had to be pulled from his vehicle with specialist equipment and an axe, was already recovering from back surgery ahead of April's Masters at Augusta.

His career has been hampered by a long-standing back issue, which has required five procedures in recent years.

Rahm reacted to the news as shockwaves were sent through the golf and sport's world amid reports of  compound fractures to both legs.

"As if his body hasn't endured enough," Rahm said as he prepares for Thursday's WGC-Workday Championship.

"Just hoping out of a bad situation, the best possible outcome, and I hope he can recover from it and we can see him on the golf course as early as possible.

"I know he underwent surgery early this year, so I hope he didn't damage anything he had done already.

"I just hope he can get out of the hospital after recovery and he can still play with his kids and have a normal life."

Tony Finau – also gearing up for the WGC event at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida – was part of the Woods-led United States team that defeated the Internationals at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Melbourne.

"He means a lot to the game of golf," Finau said. "I've said it I think time after time, the '97 Masters changed the course of my life.

"Without that event I probably wouldn’t be here, I wouldn't be playing golf, so he definitely changed the course of my life, my career. I think I'm one of hundreds of guys out here probably that would say the same thing.

"We all know he's a strong cookie physically, mentally, so if someone's going to get through this, he will and be back for the better, I'm sure. My thoughts and prayers I'm sure, as all the players, I can speak on their behalf, are with Tiger."

Tiger Woods was taken to hospital with "multiple leg injuries" sustained in a car crash in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Woods was the sole occupant of a vehicle which rolled over on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes.

Mark Steinberg – the 15-time major champion's agent – confirmed Woods underwent surgery following the accident.

Woods was already recovering from his latest back surgery ahead of April's Masters, a long-standing issue requiring five procedures in recent years.

The 45-year-old American superstar has enjoyed a remarkable career, winning 82 PGA Tour titles among other honours.

Stats Perform News looks at Woods' greatest moments.

Mastering Augusta

Having turned professional a year earlier, Woods – an already prodigious talent – earned the first of his major titles in sensational fashion at the Masters in 1997.

A record low score of 270 (later matched by Jordan Spieth), the biggest margin of victory at Augusta (12 shots) and the youngest Masters champion. Not bad going for a 21-year-old.

Gutsing it out against Garcia

Two years on and along came another player tipped for golfing superstardom in Sergio Garcia.

A 19-year-old Garcia, who started the final round of the US PGA Championship two shots adrift of Woods and Mike Weir, threatened to derail his rival's hopes of a second major by moving into a one-shot lead.

But Woods, not for the first time, pulled out all the stops – including a stunning escape from behind a tree en route to glory at Medinah.

Making history at Pebble Beach

By 2000, Woods' star was approaching its zenith and at that year's U.S. Open he produced the most dominant performance in major history.

Not only was his 15-stroke margin of victory the largest ever in one of golf's premier strokeplay events, he was the only player that weekend at Pebble Beach to finish under par.

Grand Slam complete

Just a month later and Woods was in dominant form again as he triumphed by eight shots to win The Open at St Andrews.

Of even more significance, the victory saw Woods become the fifth player to achieve the career Grand Slam and, at the age of 24, he was the youngest to do so.

Completing the 'Tiger Slam'

The accolades just kept on rolling and, by the following March, Woods achieved something no other player has done before or since.

By winning the Masters, Woods was in possession of all four major titles. As he did not do so in the same year, it was not recognised as a single-season Grand Slam, thus it became dubbed the 'Tiger Slam'.

That shot at Augusta

By going almost three years without winning one of golf's big four, Woods, by his own remarkable standards, suffered something of a drought during the mid-noughties.

But that changed at a dramatic 2005 Masters. Starting three shots ahead of Chris DiMarco on the Sunday, Woods endured a mixed round but pulled clear with one of the greatest moments in the tournament's illustrious history.

A chip from behind the green began well left of the pin, turned at 90 degrees and rolled towards the hole. Agonisingly, the ball stopped on the edge of the cup before dropping in after what felt like a lifetime.

Woods went on to bogey the next two holes, but eventually triumphed via a play-off.

An emotional Open victory

Woods went through personal tragedy in May 2006 after his father Earl passed away. 

Following the loss of his father, Woods played a reduced schedule but held off a star-studded cast – again including DiMarco – to win by two shots at The Open.

There were tears aplenty, not just from Woods, after the most emotional of victories.

Memorable Mediate battle

The most unlikely of Woods' 15 major victories, at least until this week, came when he somehow won the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines despite being hampered by serious injuries to his left leg.

What is more, Woods even came through a 19-hole play-off with Rocco Mediate, an incredible feat given his lack of fitness. He took the rest of the year off after prevailing.

80 not out

Many, including Woods himself, questioned if he would play again, let alone win again, as he struggled badly with a succession of back injuries in recent years.

Yet you can never write off a competitor like Tiger and he ended a five-year winning drought in style at East Lake, sealing his 80th PGA Tour victory at the 2018 Tour Championship.

Five times a Master

If returning to the winner's circle was phenomenal enough, Woods was not finished there.

After contending at the U.S. Open and US PGA Championship in 2018, he sensationally won the Masters for a fifth time on Sunday, coming from behind for the first time in the final round of a major.

Francesco Molinari was two clear with 18 - and seven - to play, but the day belonged to Woods as he triumphed to spark jubilant celebrations.

Tiger matches Snead

He secured a record-equalling 82nd PGA Tour crown after winning the Zozo Championship in October 2019.

Woods sealed an historic three-stroke win to draw level with Sam Snead for the most victories on Tour.

Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash expects Kevin Durant to return from injury before the NBA All-Star break.

Nets star Durant sat Tuesday's game against the Sacramento Kings – his fifth in succession – due to a left hamstring strain.

The All-Star Game takes place on March 7 and former MVP Durant has been named captain of the Eastern Conference team.

Brooklyn have four games remaining prior to the league halting on March 5, and Nash told reporters before the Kings clash: "We're just trying to monitor and be cautious.

"We definitely have kind of slowed things down in that respect, not putting any pressure on him, not trying to rush him back in any capacity and just make sure that we give him the right amount of time to be more than healed, to be strong and conditioned to come back to the team."

Durant is averaging 29.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game for the star-studded Nets this season.

The star-studded Nets (20-12) have won six consecutive games to be within half a game of Eastern Conference leaders the Philadelphia 76ers (20-11).

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel hailed his players after the English club took control of their Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid.

Olivier Giroud's stunning overhead kick secured a 1-0 victory over Atletico in the opening leg of the European matchup on Tuesday – the match played in Bucharest due to coronavirus travel restrictions between the United Kingdom and Spain.

Chelsea dominated proceedings against the LaLiga leaders as Tuchel continued his fine run since replacing Frank Lampard last month.

Former Paris Saint-Germain head coach Tuchel has conceded just two goals in eight games as Chelsea manager – the only coach in the club's history to concede fewer goals after eight games in charge is Jose Mourinho (one).

Tuchel credited his players post-match, telling reporters: "I am super happy for my players and the team for such a big reward. We actually can read it on the score line that we have the result against top opponents.

"It was very important that we are absolutely concentrated over all 96 minutes. That we also accept that it’s very hard to create chances, but we did all that and it was a very good team effort."

While Tuchel became only the second manager in Champions League history to manage two different clubs within a single season after Ronald Koeman in 2007-08 (PSV and Valencia), Chelsea forward Giroud claimed a record of his own.

Aged 34 years and 146 days, Giroud became the oldest player to score a Champions League knockout goal for Chelsea, and the oldest to do so for an English side since Ryan Giggs (37) for Manchester United in April 2011.

Giroud's spectacular 68th-minute goal was initially disallowed for offside before VAR intervened.

"I'm not proud of [Giroud's goal] because I had nothing to do with it," Tuchel said. "So it was not my achievement. He can be proud."

Tuchel added: "If you see him on a daily basis, you cannot be surprised. He is totally fit, his body is in shape and his physicality is on top level. 

"Mentally I really have the feeling he enjoys every day being a professional football player on this level and this is the level he needs to be. He trains like a 20-year-old, like a 24-year-old. He is a guy who has a good mixture of seriousness and joy in training.

"He is always positive and it is a big factor for the group. He starts, when he comes from the bench, he has all these qualities and it is good like this."

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban insisted trade rumours claiming the NBA franchise are shopping star Kristaps Porzingis are "not accurate".

The trade deadline is March 25 and speculation over Porzingis has intensified amid reports the Mavericks have gauged the Golden State Warriors' interest.

Dallas acquired Porzingis in a trade with the New York Knicks in 2019, pairing him with Luka Doncic but the Latvian big man has struggled for form and fitness.

Cuban, however, denied the reports regarding 2018 All-Star Porzingis – who was the fourth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

"It's not accurate," Cuban told The Dallas Morning News. "We have not discussed him in a trade at all. Has not happened."

Prior to Tuesday's clash with the Boston Celtics, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle added: "I know Mark's denied it. I'm denying it."

Porzingis is averaging 20.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game for the Mavericks (14-15) this season.

The 25-year-old returned from a knee injury in January, which he sustained in October.

"He's had to play his way into shape, and it just hasn't quite been the same," said Carlisle.

"It's not an excuse thing in my mind. These are just the true facts of what's happened."

The Pittsburgh Steelers want Ben Roethlisberger back next season and the star quarterback is "happy to creatively adjust his contract", according to his agent Ryan Tollner.

Roethlisberger revealed in January that he is planning to return for an 18th NFL season, ideally with the Steelers.

The 38-year-old's current deal would see him count for $41.25million against the salary cap in Pittsburgh.

As question marks remain over the two-time Super Bowl champion, Tollner provided an update on Tuesday.

"They want Ben back and will contact me soon to address his cap situation," Tollner NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala.

"As we've shared since the season ended, we are happy to creatively adjust his contract to help them build the best team possible. A year ago, Ben wasn't sure if he could throw again, but he battled back to get 12 wins and the eighth division title of his career.

"They lost steam down the stretch and that doesn't sit well for him, so the fire burns strong and there is plenty of gas in the tank."

Roethlisberger threw for 3,803 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2020, helping the Steelers finish the regular season with a 12-4 record that was enough to win the AFC North.  

However, after reaching 11-0 at one stage, Pittsburgh suffered a late-season slump that continued into the playoffs, as the Steelers lost 48-37 to divisional rivals the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round.  

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Roethlisberger threw four touchdowns and 501 yards but was also picked off four times in the defeat to the Browns on January 10. 

Simone Inzaghi accepted the pressure of the occasion got to his Lazio players after being thumped 4-1 by holders Bayern Munich in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg.

Competing in their first Champions League knockout-round tie in 21 years, Lazio found themselves three goals down by half-time against the German visitors in Rome.

Bayern star Robert Lewandowski pounced on a weak Mateo Musacchio backpass and rounded Pepe Reina for an early opener – his 72nd Champions League goal, moving him ahead of Real Madrid great Raul and behind only Cristiano Ronaldo (134) and Lionel Messi (119).

Jamal Musiala doubled the lead 15 minutes later to become the second-youngest goalscorer in the knockout stages behind Bojan, before Leroy Sane fired in number three at the end of an attack that came about as a result of Lazio's Patric losing possession.

A bad day for Serie A outfit Lazio got even worse 62 seconds after the half-time interval when Francesco Acerbi turned Sane's cross into his own net under pressure from Alphonso Davies.

Joaquin Correa pulled one back with a fine solo goal but, having seen his side ship four or more goals in a home European match for just the third time in their history, Lazio head coach Inzaghi was left to rue some horror defending.

"Unfortunately, we'd said this week with the lads that we should play our game," he told Sky Sport Italia. "We felt the occasion too much. We were tense against the world champions, but we basically scored three of the four goals for them.

"Disappointment in the locker room is natural, but it's already an achievement for us to be here. In games at this level, you need to be at 100 per cent, to do everything right and hope the opponents aren’t at their best.

"If we look at it, we're talking about the Club World Cup winners and we scored three out of four goals for them. You can't make those mistakes at this level."

However, Inzaghi felt that the game may have panned out differently had Lazio been awarded a penalty when trailing 1-0 for a challenge on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic inside the box.

"We knew the kind of team we were facing. I think we'd started well before the error for the opening goal, and there should've been a penalty when it was still 1-0," Inzaghi added.

"If the penalty had been given for 1-1, that might've changed the game, but none of it went our way tonight. We can learn from this experience in order to grow and be stronger in future."

Bayern are now unbeaten in their last 18 Champions League matches – the fourth-longest run in the competition's history – winning all but one of those games since the start of last season.

Hansi Flick was delighted with the Bundesliga champions' display but is refusing to take a place in the quarter-finals for granted ahead of the return fixture in Bavaria on March 17.

"Generally speaking everyone has met the expectations today. We won the ball high up the pitch and put the opponent under pressure. We are very satisfied today," he said at a news conference.

"The Champions League is a special competition for us.  Everyone was ready to do something special. The win was well deserved. 

"But we now have to play the second leg against Lazio first. We want to go to the quarter-finals and today we have come a lot closer to achieving that."

Thomas Muller has missed Bayern's last four matches after testing positive for coronavirus and Flick is unsure if the attacker will be back for Saturday's league visit of Cologne.

"There are still tests to be made," Flick said. "He will be back when the doc gives the green light. The earlier he returns, the happier we are."

Tiger Woods was "very fortunate" to survive a car crash in California that left the golf superstar with serious leg injuries and question marks hanging over his career.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) deputy Carlos Gonzalez said Woods was wearing a seatbelt that may have saved his life.

The 15-time major winner underwent surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center after an early morning crash that saw his car roll "several hundred feet", according to LASD sheriff Alex Villanueva.

Deputy Gonzalez arrived at the scene at 07:18 local time, six minutes after an emergency call came in, and said he spoke to Woods who was "calm and lucid".

He had to be pulled from his car, a new Genesis SUV, with specialist equipment and an axe required to get full access to the 45-year-old.

Deputy Gonzalez said: "The nature of his vehicle, and the fact he was wearing a seatbelt, greatly increased the likelihood that it saved his life.

"I will say it's very fortunate that Mr Woods was able to come out of this alive."

CNN reported Woods has suffered compound fractures to both legs, but that has yet to be confirmed.

Explaining the situation that he came across, Deputy Gonzalez said Woods was trapped inside his vehicle but conscious, adding: "I asked him what his name was; he told me his name was Tiger and at that moment I immediately recognised him."

The incident occurred on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, with Woods travelling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road.

Deputy Gonzalez said the location was a "hot spot for traffic collisions as well as speed"; however, he did not say Woods had been speeding.

Sheriff Villanueva said the deputies that responded to the crash "did not see any sign of impairment, anything of concern".

Speaking at a news conference, he added that Woods' vehicle had "travelled several hundred feet from the centre divider of the intersection and rested on the west side of the road, in the brush".

It had sustained "major damage", he added. US television networks showed video of the crash scene, which showed a car on its side.

Sheriff Villanueva said there would be a traffic investigation that "will take days to several weeks to get the whole thing together".

He said the circumstances may indicate the car was "going at a relatively greater speed than normal", explaining Woods "hit a curve, hit a tree and there were several rollovers in that process".

Five-time Masters champion Woods underwent surgery on his "multiple" injuries, agent Mark Steinberg confirmed.

Sheriff Villanueva spoke of the damage to the car, and how Woods might have lost his life.

He said: "The front end was totally destroyed, bumpers, everything destroyed, airbags deployed, all of that.

"Thankfully the interior was more or less intact, which kind of gave him the cushion to survive what otherwise would have been a fatal crash."

Leon Goretzka is hopeful Bayern Munich team-mate Jamal Musiala will commit his international future to Germany following the midfielder's latest eye-catching display.

Musiala marked his second Champions League start with a long-range strike in Bayern's emphatic 4-1 win over Lazio in Tuesday's last-16 second leg.

At 17 years and 363 days, he is the youngest Englishman to score in the competition and the second-youngest player to net in the knockout stages after Bojan in 2007-08.

However, despite representing England twice at Under-21s level, reports suggest the youngster plans to pledge his allegiance to Germany at senior level.

Asked about Musiala's international future following Bayern's win at the Stadio Olimpico, 29-cap Goretzka told Sky Sport Germany: "I hope he chooses Germany!"

Having already become Bayern's youngest-ever Bundesliga goalscorer in September, Musiala also now tops the same list in the Champions League with his fourth goal for the club.

The Stuttgart-born prodigy scored from his only shot against Lazio and Goretzka was impressed by what he saw.

"He was extremely happy to play from the start," he said. "We tried to make him play freely and not worry too much. Joshua [Kimmich] and I protected his back and he did well."

Musiala's strike came after Robert Lewandowski had opened the scoring for Bayern with his 72nd Champions League goal.

That moved the prolific striker ahead of Real Madrid great Raul in the competition's all-time list of scorers and behind only Lionel Messi (119) and Cristiano Ronaldo (134).

Leroy Sane then added a third and played a key part in Bayern's fourth, which was turned into his own net by Francesco Acerbi, before Joaquin Correa pulled one back.

Germany winger Sane played more key passes (two) than any Bayern player and also contested the most duels (17) of any player on the field.

It is the third game in a row Sane has been directly involved in a goal and he is glad to have found his feet following a big-money move from Manchester City last year.

"I'm an attacking player and want to set impulses upfront," he said. "I want to help the team. Today I think I did quite well, but I'm not getting carried away.

"We were there from the first minute. Hansi [Flick] and the coaching staff pointed out to us before the game that Lazio would make mistakes if you put them under pressure. That worked right away."

With his latest strike, Sane has now been directly involved in 10 goals in his last 10 Champions League appearances – seven goals and three assists.

Jan Oblak urged Atletico Madrid to remain positive after their recent wobble extended to a 1-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Champions League.

Oblak was beaten by OIivier Giroud's magnificent overhead kick in the 68th minute, while his opposite number Edouard Mendy did not have a shot to save over the course of the 90 minutes in Bucharest – Atleti's scheduled home leg having been rearranged to the Romanian capital due to coronavirus restrictions.

Atletico's famously robust defence is now without a clean sheet in eight outings, while their lead at the top of LaLiga is down to two points from Real Madrid after one win in four.

"It's football. Sometimes you have to win, other times lose," Oblak told reporters.

"We have another game left, we have to raise our heads, also in LaLiga and we have to prepare, be strong and improve game by game. 

"We can't think of anything other than going back [to winning]. Lately, things are going a bit against us."

Atletico return to LaLiga action with a tricky trip to Villarreal this weekend, while the subsequent derby against Real Madrid looks likely to be a pivotal moment in their season.

"It is a bad moment and on Sunday this is going to change," Oblak said.

"You have to think positively, the season is long with difficult moments and it is time to show that we are a strong group that is united.

"Only then will we get out of it."

Despite selecting a starting line-up featuring Joao Felix and Angel Correa in support of Luis Suarez and with Marcos Llorente and Thomas Lemar as wing-backs, Atleti boss Diego Simeone came in for criticism after the game for a perceived negative approach.

"The plan is always to defend well, no matter what the game plan is," Oblak added. "We didn’t play badly, we played fine.

"When I got back to the changing room, I saw everyone with their heads high, all convinced we're going to win.

"We can come back and we're still first in LaLiga."