Ians file photo

IANS File Photo: Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has defended his players and stressed the importance of consistency ahead of their La Liga clash against Girona on Friday. Madrid head into the match after back-to-back 2-1 defeats against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Mallorca in the league, leaving them seven points behind Barcelona with eight matches remaining.

Asked about the impact of another loss on their title chances, Arbeloa said, “The players know that every game is vital and there is less margin for error.”

Despite an important European fixture coming up next week, the coach insisted his side is fully focused on the immediate challenge. “The players are the first who want to play, because they know Tuesday's result wasn't what we expected. I have spoken to most of them, and they want to play and offer a win to the fans,” he said as quoted by Xinhua.