Isco says two defeats in four days have been "a huge blow" to Real Madrid, but he is confident they can still turn things around and come back to win this season's La Liga title.
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Prior to last weekend’s clasico at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid were 31 games unbeaten and title favourites, but the 4-3 loss to Barcelona, and then Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat at Sevilla, have left Carlo Ancelotti’s side down in third spot.
The Andalucian playmaker said at a sponsors’ event on Thursday that things had changed quickly, but there was still plenty to play for yet.
“It is a huge blow because it has completely changed the situation we were in two games ago,” Isco said. “We are Real Madrid and are obliged to pick ourselves up. There are eight games left and we are confident in our ability to turn this situation around. We have already done that more than once. We came back from six points behind so why wouldn't we be able to do that now.”
Isco said he was looking forward to getting back on the pitch, and back to winning ways, in Saturday’s La Liga clash with in-form Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
“The sooner the La Liga encounter against Rayo comes around the better,” he said. “It will allow us to get back to winning ways because now we are into the most intense and important part of the season.”
The 21-year-old asked Real Madrid's fans not to lose faith in a team which is still pretty well placed in La Liga, in the Champions League last eight and has the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona coming up on April 16.
“This has been a big blow for the fans and also for us [players],” Isco added. “But they should remain calm. We are still competing in all three competitions. We are going to give it our all and fight until the very end like we have been doing up until now. They should get behind the team because that is very important for us.”