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La Liga Preview: Real Madrid v Elche

Coach Carlo Ancelotti had come under a little pressure after successive defeats to Real Sociedad and then bitter rivals Atletico Madrid in the league.

A 5-1 hammering of Basel in the UEFA Champions League provided a morale boost and then Real proceeded to obliterate newly promoted Depor 8-2, scoring more than they had ever managed in a single league match on the road.

Captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas was the one player to bear the brunt of fans' ire, the 33-year-old being peppered with jeers in the Atletico defeat and subsequent calls for close-season arrival Keylor Navas to come in.

"The only thing I can say about Casillas is that he deserves our respect," Perez said. 

"He's been at the club for fifteen years and sometimes he doesn't deserve the boos that he gets.

"I don't like it and it doesn't make us stronger. Our strength lies in unity.

"Let's let him work without pressure and let's let the coach do what he needs to do."

Real comfortably defeated Fran Escriba's men 3-0 at home last term, although things were a lot tougher in Elche as a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty in second-half stoppage time secured a 2-1 win, just a few moments after Richmond Boakye equalised for the hosts.

Elche last earned a point at Real in the 1975-76 campaign and have only ever scored eight times at the Bernabeu.

But, barring any late problems, Escriba's men travel to Madrid with a fully-fit squad on the back of Friday's disappointing 2-0 home defeat to La Liga newboys Eibar.