Valencia captain Jose Luis Gaya felt they allowed Real Madrid to take control of the game too soon yesterday.

VCF were thumped 4-1 on Sunday.

Gaya lamented: "We had planned the game with us playing with a middle block and trying to break out.

"After the first goal, in the first half, they hit us from the first move of the second half. Our heads dropped, and we can't allow that. We can't be deflated after receiving two blows. We have to push forward.

"We have a difficult month ahead, and we need to be more united than ever so that we can keep picking up points and move closer to the top spots."