Raul calls for focus
Friday, March 07, 2008

Captain Raul admits the Spanish giants cannot dwell on their Champions League exit to Roma as they face another key match this weekend in La Liga.

Real's 4-2 aggregate defeat by Roma in the last 16 of the Champions League means Bernd Schuster's side have now been dumped out of both Europe and the Copa del Rey since the turn of the year.

Those two setbacks have left Real with just one remaining target for the campaign - retaining the Primera Liga title they won last season.

Despite their recent run of poor form, Real are five points clear of Barcelona in the domestic standings ahead of what could be a crucial weekend in the title race.

While Real host fifth-placed Espanyol at the Bernabeu on Saturday, Barca are at home to third-placed Villarreal at the Nou Camp on Sunday.

"It was one of our objectives to earn prestige in Europe. We had high hopes but in the end it has been a disappointment," said Raul, who scored his side's goal in Wednesday's 2-1 home defeat to Roma.

"Now we need to continue working. On Saturday we have the league, we have an advantage of five points, but we need to continue working.

"It is a tough blow, but we have to move forward. And tomorrow (Thursday) we will think about the match against Espanyol."

Centre-back Pepe, whose dismissal on Wednesday proved costly as the Italians took the lead within two minutes of his departure, added: "We're very sad, but we have to raise our heads and continue working towards the league and make our fans proud.

"The dressing room is sad and disappointed, it was a great match to win. There was a great atmosphere and we just have to get over it. We cannot forget that we're the league leaders."

On his sending-off, which came in the 70th minute after he received a second yellow card for a body-check on Roma striker Mirko Vucinic, Pepe said: "It's difficult to say if my sending-off was justified, it was the referee's decision.

"I already had a yellow. I'm very sad. We have to go all out in the league."