SPAIN/ REAL MADRID, Casillas: "Now want to cut the points gap in the league"

© foto di Giuseppe Celeste/Image Sport

Real Madrid play their second match of the week away against Valladolid, as part of match day 15 of the season, and the Whites are looking for another victory. Real Madrid’s captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas analysed the match against an opponent who are playing at a very high level on their return to the top flight of domestic football: "It will be a difficult match. It is a tough ground to visit where the fans are enjoying the team playing in the First Division again. Valladolid are playing some very good football and come into the match after have beaten Sevilla convincingly. I think Saturday will be a tough match and they will make things very difficult for us", he said.

The team have qualified for the Champions League and the Copa del Rey rounds of 16 and in La Liga they come to the match having beaten Atletico Madrid in the derby. "The targets set for the end of the year are there. The pity is perhaps that the distance between us and Atletico in the league, despite having reduced it last weekend, and with Barcelona is quite big. But we made it through to the next round of the Champions League and we expect a tough opponent in a difficult knockout tie, but between now and February there will be time to prepare. Now we want to focus on the league, and cut the points difference with the teams above, and keep getting through the rounds in the Copa del Rey".

The Whites play three matches in a week against Valladolid, Celta and Espanyol and want to come away with three wins. "They are three matches in quick succession but right now we cannot afford to lose any points in the league. Against Celta we hope to do well in a match that will be full of difficulties. We struggled to beat them in the league last October. They are a team that have just returned to the First Division and when Real Madrid go to Vigo it always gives Celta positive feelings. We have to make sure that we set ourselves up to expect a tough week that finishes with the match against Espanyol who are coming out of a difficult situation with a new coach", said Casillas.