Schuster urges players to focus on victory in Athens

ATHENS, Nov 6 (Reuters) Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster has told his players to put the 2-0 defeat by Sevilla at the weekend behind them if they want to beat Olympiakos in their Champions League Group C match today.

''We must forget about the game against Sevilla,'' Schuster told reporters. ''We have a very important match and we know it's going to be difficult.'' Schuster said that Real, who lead the group on seven points from three matches, would be gunning for a victory that would move them closer to the knockout stages.

''We are fully focused on winning because we want to secure qualification as soon as possible so I can then rest players and use my full squad.'' One player who he being rested for this match, however, is German defender Christoph Metzelder.

''He has played a lot of matches for us already,'' Schuster added. ''We have ready replacements in (Gabriel) Heinze and Pepe, and we will still put out the best possible Real Madrid team.'' Real will also be without midfielder Guti, who did not travel with the squad because of a hamstring problem, as well as Arjen Robben and Jerzy Dudek, who are still recovering from injury.

Olympiakos, meanwhile, face problems in defence as they are without the injured Paraskevas Antzas and Didier Domi while Vassilis Torosidis is suspended after picking up a red card in the corresponding game in Madrid, won 4-2 by the hosts.

Defensive midfielder Cristian Ledesma is also missing because of a bicep injury.

REUTERS RAR SSC1429