Paris St Germain were in defiant mood even after Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League defeat at Real Madrid underlined what still separates them from the cream of European football.

PSG dominated Real at the Santiago Bernabeu, in possession and in the number of chances created, but displayed a lack of killer instinct to allow the 10-times European Champions to emerge as Group A leaders, thanks to Nacho's first-half goal.

The visitors hit the post twice and the bar once but Angel Di Maria, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani could not find the back of the net for the second time against Real after a goalless draw at the Parc des Princes last week.

"What bothers me in that Real score with half a chance," said PSG coach Laurent Blanc, who otherwise was satisfied with his team's performance.

"We had so many opportunities, there was a bit of clumsiness but I'm sure that if we continue to create so many chances, this clumsiness will go away."

While Nacho knocked the ball home after a Toni Kroos shot deflected off Thiago Silva, PSG hit the post through Adrien Rabiot and Di Maria, whose last-gap free kick also clipped the bar.

"We could have been more efficient but we had the chances," said Blanc.

Club president Nasser al-Khelaifi backed his team, saying they had been unfairly criticised after the goalless draw in Paris.

"It happens to every team. You cannot ask the strikers to score two, three goals per game," he told reporters.

"I am very proud of the players. I hope you are, too. If you continue to criticise us, I don't understand. Stop criticising us, it will be better."

Real have already qualified for the last 16 with 10 points from four games while PSG, who suffered their first defeat in all competitions this season, are second with seven.

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