体坛英语新闻：Mijatovic supports under-pressure Real Madrid coach Schuster

MADRID, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid Director of Sport Pedja Mijatovic gave first team coach Bernd Schuster a tepid vote of confidence on Monday evening.

    Schuster's future at the club has been under the spotlight since Real Madrid's humiliating Copa del Rey exit to Real Union a week ago.

Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster controls a ball during a training session at Petrovskiy stadium in St. Petersburg Sept. 29, 2008.

Saturday night saw the side lose 1-0 away to Valladolidin of the Primera Liga to slip to the fourth place in the league table, five points behind leaders Barcelona.

    When Mijatovic called a press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium Monday evening, it was expected he would announce Schuster's departure.

    However, Mijatovic stood by Schuster, although he refused to confirm the German would stay on until the end of the season.

Real Madrid's coach Bernd Schuster reacts behind player Marcelo during their Champions League soccer match against Juventus at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid Nov. 5, 2008.

"My obligation as Director of Sport is to transmit serenity and calm to our supporters. We are in a situation where the competition has started and there are a lot of matches ahead of us," said Mijatovic in the press room at the stadium.

    "This team had a great season last year and we won the league easily. We have not lost confidence in Bernd," he insisted.

    Nevertheless, Mijatovic's vote of confidence stopped some way short of being convincing. He implied that unless Real Madrid wins their next home game, which is against Recreativo Huelva, Schuster will be sacked.

    "If anything strange does happen, we will take decisions and stand up and be counted. I am certain there are coaches in the market, but we are not looking at that, although that does not mean that in the future that we will not be obliged to do so."

    "If we lose five games in a row, we'll see what happens. I do not want to be here next week again. But I do not want to think about what will happen if we do not win in front of our fans," he said.