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Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has said he will hold a squad meeting at training on Monday morning with some “straight talking” after Los Blancos were beaten 2-0 at home by Real Sociedad on Sunday.
The Champions League holders have now taken just one point from two La Liga games since the winter break, and are down to fifth in the table — 10 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Asked if it was time for players to be self-critical, Ramos agreed, adding that he hoped that something positive could come out of Madrid’s current problems.
“It is not the day to point fingers at anyone,” Ramos said. “Although there is always self-criticism.
“Tomorrow there will be some straight talking, face-to-face, because out of problems come opportunities. It will happen behind closed doors and what is said will not come out. There is still a lot of the season left, although we have dropped three very important points.”
The loss led to inevitable questions over the future of manager Santiago Solari, but he received the backing of Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric, who said that it was up to the players to improve their performances — and to stop conceding early goals.
“The coach is doing good work, but he cannot score goals nor stop what is happening at the start of games,” Modric said. “We players go onto the pitch and we must be better and more focused.
“We cannot have this bulls— every game. We must avoid it in future. Solari has our confidence and we cannot look for excuses for him, or blame him. We all have to be self-critical. There are reasons we are playing badly and we must look for them. We must take more responsibility. There are players not performing at their best, me first among them.”
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos cannot hide his disappointed after losing 2-0 at home to Real Sociedad.
Solari replaced Julen Lopetegui as manager in late October and, after some positive results at the start of his reign, their form dropped off; and 30 points after 18 La Liga games is Madrid’s worst total at this point for 13 seasons. The 53,412 crowd at the Bernabeu vented their frustration at the players on the final whistle.
Next for Solari’s side is Wednesday’s Copa del Rey round-of-16 first leg at home to Leganes — who they lost to at this stage of the competition last season.
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