Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster insists they didn't deserve to lose after last night's surprise 1-0 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna.

Schuster, who saw his team succumb through a Pepe own goal, said: "With the formation that Deportivo employed, it was difficult. A five-man line across the midfield and another one of four at the back. They had nine players always defending.

"We knew that it was going to be very difficult to create goal chances. We tried, but it was not to be. We did not deserve, over everything, to lose this game."

Asked further about the lack of cutting edge, Schuster insisted: "Deportivo was a very difficult barrier. We had already seen them play similarly in the videos of their last games.

"All my players had seen on tape the way Deportivo defend. Three central defenders and the wing-backs placed closely together. Then a midfield that joined together in that line of five. So it is very difficult, that is the explanation.

"It was typically going to be a 0-0 type of game."