Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster claims his team may have to curb their attacking play if they are to retain the Spanish championship this season.
Schuster watched as Valencia's Angel Arizmendi scored a late goal to defeat Real 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday as the champions saw their lead at the top shaved to four points.
"It is hugely disappointing to have lost this match but that is football and sometimes you don't know how things will turn out," Schuster said. "The truth is that recently we have been made to pay for our mistakes."
PHOTO: AP
"I have already told some players that sometimes in these matches it is sometimes better to secure the draw. It wasn't necessary to risk so much to create a chance," he said.
Barcelona crushed Valladolid 4-1 to move four points behind Real who have lost successive league matches to Deportivo La Coruna and Valencia.
Defender Pepe backed his manager's words and called for a less gung-ho approach.
"When we led 2-1 we had to be a bit calmer," Pepe said. "They were tired after a difficult midweek match. There is still a long way to go in the league and we need to stay calm so that there is no repeat in the next match."
"We have to think what we are going to do to ensure we don't make the same mistake and fight to come out of this situation," he said.
Real host Sevilla, who have already beaten them this season, next weekend and German coach Schuster will no doubt be alarmed by his team's form since the turn of the year.
This year Real have been beaten by Almeria, Real Betis, Getafe, Depor and Valencia compared with last year when they lost just twice.
Valencia coach Ronald Koeman has certainly done his old club and close friend Frank Rjikaard, a fellow member of the Netherlands' 1988 European championship winning team, a big favor and Barca will hope to to stay in touching distance of Real, knowing they face their foe at the beginning of May.
"We have to be more concentrated if we want to win both competitions [the Champions League and La Liga] but we can win them both," Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o said.
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