Real Madrid still optimistic despite 1-1 draw with Malaga

 　　MADRID, Match 20 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid are insisting that the leadership of the BBVA Primera Liga is still secure despite dropping two surprise points in the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night.

　　Sunday's 1-1 draw at home to Malaga allowed FC Barcelona to close the gap at the top of the BBVA Primera Liga table to eight points and increase the pressure slightly on Jose Mourinho's side, amid worries that after showing an incredibly high physical level all season, some of the Madrid players are starting to show a lack of freshness on the pitch.

　　Although eight points is still a considerable advantage for Madrid, should Barcelona win at home to Granada this Tuesday, Madrid would kick off at relegation¹ threatened Villarreal on Wednesday night just five points clear of their rivals and although Barca coach, Pep Guardiola continues to insist that the title is impossible for his side, Madrid are worried that Guardiola may just be bluffing².

　　Midfielder Lassana Diarra told sports paper AS that the dropped points were an irritation³, but he remained calm at the prospect⁴ of a possible fightback.

　　Madrid coach, Jose Mourinho is also unlikely to be driven into panic measures for the Villarreal game, although he may opt⁵ to start with Gonzalo Higuain on the substitutes' bench and bring a midfielder such as Esteban Granero into his side.

　　Meanwhile Angel de Maria is still sidelined with a hamstring injury which has plagued him since the start of 2012.

　　Villarreal meanwhile go into the game just two days after appointing the experienced Miguel Angel Lotina as their third coach of the season.

　　Lotina, who has also worked with Osasuna, Real Sociedad, Espanyol, Celta Vigo and Deportivo la Coruna, replaces Jose Molina, who was sacked after a run of four defeats and one draw in the last five games. That poor form leaves Villarreal just three points above the relegation zone.

　　The brief of the new coach is clear, to avoid relegation and Lotina knows that starting with a win or even a draw against the league leaders would be the perfect way to start his reign⁶ and allow the Villarreal players to gain confidence.

　　Lotina has doubts over two of his most important players, Cani and Borja Valeero, both of whom ended Sunday's 1-0 defeat away to Levante with slight physical problems.

1 relegation   

n.驱逐，贬黜；降级

参考例句：

• Liaoning team lost this game, is still deeply avoid relegation zone. 辽宁队本场失利后，仍然深陷保级区。 来自互联网
• In society, relegation is based on your income. 社会上的规类是以你的收入为基准。 来自互联网

2 bluffing   

n. 威吓，唬人 动词bluff的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• I don't think he'll shoot—I think he's just bluffing. 我认为他不会开枪—我想他不过是在吓唬人。
• He says he'll win the race, but he's only bluffing. 他说他会赢得这场比赛，事实上只是在吹牛。

3 irritation   

n.激怒，恼怒，生气

参考例句：

• He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
• Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

5 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

6 reign   

n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势

参考例句：

• The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
• The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。