AS says both senior players urged their teammates to stay calm and resist finger-pointing. All of Real's squad agreed they must be as united as ever if they're to lift themselves out of their current slump.

One unnamed Real player said: "The error against Getafe was unforgivable, but it is already important to leave it behind. The game against Recre is a turning point. If we win in Huelva, we'll beat Roma. We know that in this week we gamble the season and it is necessary to win both games.

"We must be more a team than ever. In the bad times, this is when it is a must. We all must be more hungry, the starters and the substitutes."