Ramos respects criticism, still confident of Real Madrid

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos admitted that his side had to be able to accept criticism, but at the same time believes that his side showed in defeat to FC Barcelona that they can still win the BBVA Primera Liga title.

Madrid's 2-1 defeat in the Camp Nou saw them slip to four points behind Barca in the title race and one of the unpleasant images of the night saw two Madrid fans hurling abuse at Garath Bale and Jese Rodriguez as well as hitting the players' cars they drove out of Madrid's Valdebebas training ground in the early hours of Monday morning.

"I respect everyone and I have lived with criticism," said Ramos, who accepts the frustration, but also thinks the players have to know how to react to it.

"We are the biggest representatives of the team...people need faces who they can blame but we need to have broad shoulders and let people see that when we go through difficult periods we respond," he said, commenting that at times the demands of the Real Madrid supporters in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium were important to get the side to play its best football.

The central defender admitted a defeat was always "bad," but said his side, "left with our heads held high because we played some good football."

"We were quiet on the plane back to Madrid, because we had left everything on the pitch and it was a blow to lose," said Ramos, who didn't think the title was last with 10 matches still to play.

"The season is long and the important thing is how it ends. As I said the other night, I have seen titles won when the gap between the top two has been greater," he concluded. Endi