Salgado admits defining week for Real Madrid

Michel Salgado admits this week will be a defining period in Real Madrid's season.

Real face Getafe on Sunday, Bayern Munich in midweek before a title-deciding clash with Barcelona the following weekend.

Fullback Salgado said: "Right now we are alive in the two most important competitions, despite not being at our best. Perhaps if another team like Barca were stronger, we'd no longer have possibilities of winning the Liga."

"We are in a crucial period. This week can define our season, as much in the Champions League as in the Liga. I have experienced situations like this before. In my first season here, we were poor in the Liga, but we battled past Manchester United and finished champions of Europe."

Asked if the Bayern match will decide coach Fabio Capello's future, Salgado added: "I don't think like that because I am a winner. We must support our coach to the death. This week Real Madrid are gambling everything, we must not consider losing."