Deportivo 2 - 0 R. Madrid

[Oliver_Kahn]

Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello was left disappointed by his side's 2-0 loss to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday, citing the first goal as the key to their defeat.

Real got their domestic new year off to the worst possible start during an error-strewn performance at the Riazor, with goals from Joan Capdevila and Hidalgo Cristian handing Real a third defeat in their last four Liga outings.

And Capello was in no doubt which moment proved to be the turning point of the match - Depor's opener, a Capdevilla free kick which flew through a poorly-set wall.

"[The first goal] was a gift," Capello said. "The wall was not set, which gave [goalkeeper Iker] Casillas problems. For me, it was not Iker's fault.

"This mistake put our opponents in a strong position."

The Italian tactician took responsibility for the result himself, although both league leaders Sevilla and Barcelona also dropped points over the weekend to slightly soften the blow for the Madrid outfit.

"I am always culpable for victories as well as defeats," Capello admitted.

"We had no luck. Every rebound fell to an opposition player."

But the result seems to have left Capello in trouble with the powers that be at the Bernabeu, with sporting director Predrag Mijatovic demanding answers from his coach.

According to reports in the Spanish press on Monday, Capello will miss training to meet the former Real player to discuss exactly what happened in La Coruna.

Capello rues defeat - Football - Eurosport

[Pennywise]

Originally Posted by SOMOSBENFICA

Capello needs to get rid of 3/4 of this team. They have way too many stars and are like Poison. When a great Coach like Capello having difficulty inspiring these guys you know they must be something wrong. They need to get rid of Ronaldo, this guy is just a waste of talent. Real Madrid hit the skids when they sign him from Inter-Milan.

Crapello is the only moron here. He is using names in front of players that can perform. Raul, Guti, Beckham, Salgado, They're in the club because of their names and their history 100 years back in time soon.

One of the most stupid things was to bring in Emerson and Cannavaro from Juventus. They're both old, starved and when Canna had a so great WC, the down-period will always come. La Liga is also a couple of step up from Serie A.

Raul and Beckham - They are in the club because of the marketing. They're so horrible that not even Watford had played those players.

Reyes is shit, Salgado, Carlos and Helguera are of course crap. Nistelrooy is a new El Moro. Majestiv in one match, bad the three-four next. The formation and tactic is wrong, +++

1. Cassano, Robinho and Diarra must play.
2. Start using Gago, Higuain and Marcelo now
3. USe Cicinho when he is fit
4. Buy in a new defender/rightwinger
5. Run 4-4-2 diamond

And you'll get good results, Crapello!

[azzurri]

Emerson was actually 1 of your better players yesterday. He fills his role perfectly. If everyone else did their job around him, u wouldn't be slating him.

Canna looks lost. Serves him right since he decided to leave. In fact, all the Juve players who have moved on, minus Ibra, have been horrible, and I couldn't be happier.

La Liga is "a couple steps up from serie a? In what, diving?

It shouldn't be a surprise that Madrid of all teams decides to put names ahead of skill. Its to be expected. However, Capello if anything, has been benching the big names. Beckam rarely starts, same with Robinho and Ronaldo. Raul was dissapointing yesterday, but imo he has got better this season. Rewind a few weeks ago and Madrid fans were praising him.

[skeeta]

Quite an interesting first weekend after the break:

Real Madrid get beat again at the Riazor (it has been 15 years since they won there), with Depor's first going straight through a "wall" that would have had more substance if it had been made of real merengues and Cannavaro getting skinned (again) for their second. As always, the Italian papers are relishing the "crisis" at the Bernabeu and Marca have chosen Capello to launch their new Spitting Image-like "Marcacartoons" on their website (while giving pride of place on their front page to the "disaster").