Real Madrid can compete on all fronts, says Casillas

Real Madrid have enough players to compete well in all tournaments this year despite having signed few players over the summer, the reigning Spanish champion's goalkeeper Iker Casillas said Friday.

“As a team we are together and we are capable of competing in every competition. Any transfer decisions are the decisions of the club,” he said.

Real only recruited one player in the off-season, signing Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart from Hamburg, but they have failed to fill the gap left by the sale to Manchester City of Brazilian Robinho.

Real coach Bernd Schuster was so concerned by the Brazilian's exit that he pressured the club to make two last-ditch offers for Valencia striker David Villa, top-scorer at Euro 2008, before the transfer window shut but the player decided to stay put.

Casillas said he spoke to his fellow Spanish international to see what had happened.

“I called him to ask what had happened and he said he decided to remain at Villarreal. Nothing changed between us because of it,” he said.

Real face Numancia on Sunday in the Spanish league. The squad are looking to register their first points of the season after an opening 2-1 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna a fortnight ago.

The club signed Argentine defender Ezequiel Garay from Racing Santander at the end of the season but under the terms of the deal the player will only join the club in the 2009-10 season.

In addition, midfielders Javi Garcia and Ruben de la Red, who helped Spain win the Euro 2008 title in June, have rejoined Real after a season with Osasuna and Getafe respectively.

Earlier Friday Real sporting director Pedja Mijatovic said the club did not envisage recruiting any new players in the winter transfer window.

“We have a squad of 24 players, and in Spain there are squads of 21 or 22 players. We have a big squad and we don't have plans to bring in any new players in January, but in football you never know what will happen,” he told the Real Madrid television channel.