Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff is convinced Manuel Pellegrini is fighting a losing battle at Real Madrid.

Ahead of Real's victory over Getafe last night, Cruyff offered his sympathy to coach Pellegrini.

The Dutchman said: "If there is a team with so much pressure and with new players, it is very difficult to settle. They have a coach who I think is pretty good, but everyone knows that Madrid wanted someone else.

"So it's very hard to keep the locker room if the players know that the rulers wanted someone else. The coexistence becomes very difficult."