Queiroz warns Real about effects of unbalanced squad

Real Madrid's King's Cup final defeat this week highlighted the need to revise the club's policy of only signing world class players, coach Carlos Queiroz said on Friday.

Although he said he was in agreement with the stated policy of club president Florentino Perez, Queiroz pointed out that the squad had become unbalanced as a result of a reliance on youth-team players to provide cover in key positions.

Asked by Real Madrid television if he would have preferred to have put together a different squad at the start of the season, Queiroz said: "I'd be lying if I said no. We need to do some serious evaluation in the summer."

"As Real Madrid coach I'm in a position to give a more informed opinion than a year ago and I hope that opinion is respected and listened to."

Queiroz said at the start of the season that after four years spent recruiting attack-minded players such as Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham the club needed to strengthen its defence.

But the club pulled out of a deal to sign highly-rated Argentine centre-back Gabriel Milito last July because of concerns over his fitness and they then failed in a bid to sign Valencia defender Roberto Ayala.

Milito, who was later signed by Real Zaragoza, gave an outstanding performance in his side's shock 3-2 extra-time defeat of Real in the final of the King's Cup on Wednesday.

Queiroz said that the lack of cover in the squad made it difficult for him to rest any of his first choice players and said this may have contributed to his side's Cup final defeat against the Primera Liga strugglers.

"Everyone understands the reality," he said. "You need experience and quality to play a final and you can't afford to use a game like that to help players learn."

"We have to work with the squad we've got, but on the bench we had a host of inexperienced young players ... I hope this defeat is a wake-up call and a stimulus for us to move ahead."

"The youth set up needs to be very strong and subject to the same demands as the top players, but we can't expect to survive on the local lads who just come knocking at our door, we have to recruit the best from around the world."

Despite their failure to win the Cup, Real are still on course for a domestic and European double.

They are four points clear of Valencia at the top of the Primera Liga and play Monaco in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with the first leg on Wednesday.