Real can’t throw it away - Casillas

20.03.2008

REAL Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas believes that his side's lead at the top of the Primera Liga is so commanding that it's its to throw away.

The stopper was annoyed in the aftermath of his side's dire performance in A Coruña against Deportivo, but went on to state that the title race was still in Real’s own hands.

"We are well aware that we did badly in A Coruña," he told Marca.
"But it's just as true that we're in a comfortable position - one that we've earned since the Liga began - and we are in the driver's seat.

"If we fail, we are the ones who lose the Liga, not other teams. I can assure you that after losing at Coruña in the way that we did, the team is determined to face Valencia and Sevilla to pick up four vital points for our league challenge."

On the upcoming matches, he warned, "Teams are playing with the European spots increasingly in mind, so no games will be easy.

"If Valencia lose last week, they're in big trouble. Therefore we also have to fight, and know that we're doing so for the league."

The goalkeeper spoke out in defence of his manager, who "also suffers" along with the players.
"He suffers just as we do," explained the Spanish international.

"That's a good thing, though, because it discourages us from losing. "This is his first year at Real Madrid and he's determined for us to win the Liga. Anyone who doesn't see the best results in their work is understandably upset."

He added that the absence of Ruud van Nistelrooy - who is set to return for the visit of Valencia at the weekend - has hurt the team due to the Dutchman being "a major player." However, this was a secondary concern, with the squad as a whole being of more import - if not the team creeping up behind them again.

"We always conduct self-criticism when we lose, not simply because Barcelona are chasing us," he grumbled. "The most important thing is to talk. It's easy to do it when things are going well, but it's more important to do so in days like that of A Coruña. "We must not blame anybody. The group must be more united than ever in order to attain its common goal of the Liga. We'll talk, and we'll be self-critical, in order to do that.

"Ronaldinho? That issue doesn't really worry me. What bothers me is that our squad does its best in all matches." "We can't look for any excuse to say that Ronaldinho has caused a crisis. The Barcelona squad is excellent, and full of key players - that shows by the way that they're still in three competitions," he concluded.