Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez was keen to focus on football matters rather than the midweek Copa del Rey eligibility rumpus as his team prepared to face Getafe.
Benitez's side have spent the build-up to Getafe's Bernabeu visit embroiled in controversy for fielding an ineligible player in the cup victory over Cadiz on Wednesday night.
Denis Cheryshev scored the opening goal in the 3-1 win but the Russia international should have been suspended after he received three yellow cards in the competition for Villarreal last season.
Real's presence in the Copa del Rey now hangs in the balance, but head coach Benitez insisted that was not at his mind at his pre-match press conference.
"The president has made things clear. That is the truth, and there is nothing more to say on our part," Benitez said, with his team trying to build on last weekend's 2-0 league win at Eibar.
"The president has already explained the situation. We are here to speak about the Getafe game. Everything that happened was clear. I will not go into these issues."
Real president Florentino Perez vowed at a press conference on Thursday that his club would fight any sanctions, saying neither the player nor the club were informed of the suspension.
Benitez, who has been under the spotlight in recent weeks following league defeats to Sevilla and bitter rivals Barcelona, continued: "When you come to the best club in the world, you know there is a greater attention to every detail. I know that and I have clear ideas.
"We will continue to work and concentrate on doing things the best way possible. It is a great team and we can do important things.
"Everything we've seen of (Getafe) is that they are an organised team. It is important for us to organise as soon as possible and that the players understand our style of play. It will not be an easy game."
While Benitez was tight-lipped about the Cheryshev incident, former Real midfielder Ruben de la Red, the current manager of Getafe B, expressed his amazement and criticised his old club for the way they do things.
"As a manager, I reckon I would be very annoyed at having had no idea that I wasn't allowed to use a certain player," De la Red told Radio Marca.
"As a fan, you're gobsmacked by the things that go on at Real Madrid.
"These things can make you lose focus.
"All of this, in one way or another, takes its toll on the team.
"Getafe might be able to pull off a surprise with everything that's going on at Real."
The bad news for Getafe, however, is that the much-vaunted strikeforce of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema are all set to return after being rested for the Cadiz cup tie.
Getafe coach Fran Escriba vowed to send his team out at the Bernabeu looking to attack.
"We know that Real Madrid is more difficult than a normal team, but we must prepare for the game with absolute normality," he said at a press conference.
"We will try to be ourselves, adapting to the opponent, (but) I do not plan to go to the Bernabeu to defend.
"We are required to go there to win. Still, the draw would be a great result."
Source: PA-WIRE
