Sergio Ramos has said the pressure of playing at Real Madrid is more than any other club in the world and the players need to be used to being scrutinized.
Los Blancos defeated Levante on Sunday evening at the Santiago Bernabeu, ending a three-match winless run and moving just one point behind Barcelona in La Liga. The players and manager have faced much criticism in recent weeks, but the defender, making his comeback after a month out injured, said everyone at the club was united.
“We can use this game to build confidence and calm people down. We must be more united than ever. It was a difficult game following the run of form that we have had and the level of pressure that is placed on Real Madrid, which is more than at any other team,” he stated.
And he went on: “We have to accept that, but I don’t think that this is a troubling period. There are two months of top level competition left, we have one point less than the leaders and are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, which is a tournament that is exciting us again.”
He also went on to defend Cristiano Ronaldo, who cut a frustrated figure on the night and has vowed not to speak to the media until the end of the season after a barrage of criticism.
“It is difficult to be Cristiano and he has been performing at a very high level for a number of years. He knows himself better than anyone, he has a very competitive character and we are not worried if he didn’t score if Bale subsequently did. We have to appreciate what he brings to the team,” Ramos commented.
