Zinedine Zidane has backed Cristiano Ronaldo to fire his side back into title contention against struggling Espanyol on Sunday.
Ronaldo drew a blank in last Sunday's disappointing 1-1 draw at strugglers Real Betis which left Zidane's men four points adrift of Barcelona and city rivals Atletico.
It was the latest below-par performance from the Portuguese star and it also marked the first setback of Zidane's early managerial career after starting his reign with back-to-back thumpings of Deportivo La Coruna and Sporting Gijon respectively.
But Zidane sprung to the defence of his out-of-sorts superstar, telling a press conference: ``He (Ronaldo) hasn't lost his goalscoring ability - he hasn't lost anything.
``He is happy with the work he's doing - training has been lighter than normal so that the team will be fresh for tomorrow, but we are in good shape physically and I have no worries about the quality.''
ZIdane received a boost this week with the news that FIFA had suspended the club's recent transfer ban - meaning there could still be time to add new faces before the end of the transfer window.
However despite renewed rumours, in particular concerning Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, Zidane sought to shrug off speculation and focus solely on the visit of Espanyol.
He added: ``I'd prefer to avoid any unnecessary hassle - the only thing I am concerned about is tomorrow's match. Later we will see what happens and whether we can or can't sign anyone.''
Zidane is hampered again on Sunday by the absence of Gareth Bale due to a calf injury, so James Rodriguez will once more get the chance to step in and prove his worth despite a disappointing show against Betis.
Zidane insisted he would not be adversely affected by his first managerial disappointment, which reduces Real's chances of overhauling Barcelona, who have a game in hand.
Asked whether the Betis draw had affected morale, he insisted: ``Quite the opposite - it is complicated when you drop two points because you want to win all your games.
``Considering what we did, we deserved more than a point but in football you have got to put away your chances and our work this week has gone really well.''
Real will once again be expected to pull off a big win against Sunday's struggling opponents, who are on a seven-game winless streak in all competitions.
However they showed some signs of fight last Sunday when they ended a four-game losing run with a 2-2 draw at home to Villarreal.
Espanyol boss Constantin Galca told the club's official website: ``We can not compare ourselves with them, but we must be eager and very organised.
``We have prepared in the week with hard work, enthusiasm and with clear ideas and we will fight.''
Real Madrid v Espanyol Preview: Pepe hails Zidane impact despite Betis setback
The Frenchman suffered his first setback in Seville last Sunday but the Portuguese defender is confident they will bounce back against the struggling Catalans
Pepe believes Real Madrid are getting better all the time under Zinedine Zidane as they aim to bounce back from disappointment against Real Betis when they take on Espanyol.
Zidane oversaw 5-0 and 5-1 wins in his first two games in charge after replacing Rafael Benitez as head coach, but a 1-1 draw in Seville last Sunday saw them slip further behind Barcelona in the title race. The champions are four points ahead with a game in hand.
Pepe, however, took plenty of positives from Madrid's approach to that stalemate and is confident the mentality demanded by the coach will serve them well against an Espanyol side who have not beaten them in the last 16 league encounters.
"The most important thing is that we worked as a team. That's what we have to take with us for the next few games," the defender, who is a doubt for Sunday's game, told the club's official website.
"We're taking on board what Zidane wants. We're improving and bit by bit we're getting to the physical level the coach has in mind."
Espanyol were dealt a 6-0 thrashing in the reverse fixture in December and their woeful away form does not inspire confidence ahead of the trip to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Constantin Galca's side have been beaten in their last seven away league games - they have not lost eight in a row since 2002 - and are only four points clear of the drop zone, despite sitting in 13th place.
Victor Sanchez, who has recovered from a thigh problem in time to return to action against Madrid, says his team-mates can have no more excuses for their form on the road despite Sunday's daunting opposition.
"They're always a dangerous opponent. We have to be very strong defensively. We have to play a serious game and not allow them to create chances," the midfielder told Espanyol's official website.
"At home we give a good impression but, away from home, for whatever reason, we're not so good. We want to be competitive again. We cannot drop any points."
Cristiano Ronaldo trained separately earlier this week but is fully fit for the game, meaning Gareth Bale (calf) and Pepe are Madrid's only main injury concerns, with Sergio Ramos expected to return after missing the last two matches.
Victor Alvarez and Gerardo Moreno are banned for Espanyol and Jose Canas (toe) and Anaitz Arbilla (Achilles) are out, but Giedrius Arlauskis should make the matchday squad for the first time after signing on loan from Watford this week.
Espanyol have also sealed a deal for the full playing rights of Felipe Caceido and they will look to the Ecuador striker to offer some hope of a shock, with the Catalans having only scored twice in their last five league meetings with Madrid.
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