Real Madrid No2 Aitor Karanka says they're ignoring Pep Guardiola's claims over at Barcelona.

Barca are now only five points behind Real after victory over Granada.

Karanka, speaking at the press conference to preview Wednesday night's league match at Villarreal, told marca.com: "Sometimes in football things are said that are not intended. They always have been, and we are not interested in what is being said out there.

"We want to continue working in the same way. Whatever comes out is not our problem. We have an important points difference and we must continue like this."

Karanka insists Madrid have never deviated from their usual path this season, even when some observers were suggesting they had the title wrapped up early in the new year.

"The dressing room, as the coach said two months ago, has a way of working. People were talking about having the league wrapped up and the 'pasillo' (the guard of honour a team gives a title-winning side) and, the first person who said that something like this was going to happen was (Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho).

"We have a way of working, we're focused on ourselves, things are going really well and we need to continue like that."