Pressure on Real ahead of Super Cup

Real Madrid go into tonight’s Spanish Super Cup second leg against rivals Barcelona knowing a victory is the only option if they are to take the first title of the season.

Anything less will add to a disappointing start to a campaign in which Real are yet to win in three games, including the 3-2 defeat to Barca in the first leg at the Nou Camp last Thursday.

The 2-1 defeat at Getafe on Sunday night, their first league defeat in 2012, means Real have a single point on the board in the league and are already five behind Barcelona, who won 2-1 at Osasuna on the same evening.

Jose Mourinho called the defeat ‘unacceptable’ while refusing to blame refereeing decisions for the setback, as he had done in the first leg claiming Barca’s first goal to be offside.

He is looking for a response from his players, especially at dead balls where they have conceded goals in both their league games to date.

“In the last games we have worked more than ever on defending dead ball situations, with only two days to go until the next game (against Barca) we can’t do anymore, it’s up to the players to do their jobs,” he said after Sunday’s defeat.

One piece of good news for Real was the end of the summer-long transfer saga involving Luka Modric’s move to the Spanish capital from Tottenham Hotspur.

Modric was finally presented to the fans on Monday, perhaps too late to make an appearance in today’s game, but the player himself has not ruled out a debut.

“I feel good, I still have to train with the rest of the team but I’m ready to play against Barca. I have not had games but I have trained with the fitness coach and worked hard and I had one game for Croatia.

“Hopefully, I will need (only) a couple of games to get fit,” he said.

Another player that may or may not feature is Barca captain Carles Puyol, who suffered a fractured cheekbone for the fourth time in his career on Sunday in a clash with Roland Lamah, of Osasuna.

Puyol, who played with a specially-fitted mask a few seasons ago when carrying the same injury, may still play with protection.

For Real, Mourinho will have to decide again between fielding Gonzalo Higuain, who has struck twice in the league, or Karim Benzema who started at the Nou Camp.

Although with a win needed to kick start his side’s campaign Mourinho could find room for both from the outset.