Former Spain World Cupper Gaizka Mendieta feels Real Madrid’s Champions League defeat to Chelsea will not affect the team morale going into Sunday’s crucial La Liga game against Sevilla.

“If you look at the players’ mentality, especially after you lose a game like that, gearing up to play the next match should be on their minds. They would want to compete and win, and prove that what happened in the previous game was kind of an accident,” the former midfielder, who has played for Valencia, Lazio, Barcelona and Middlesbrough, said during a virtual interaction on Thursday.

“They should only focus on what lies ahead, and that’s the La Liga title. I’m sure they will be looking forward to the next game.

“Maybe Real ran out of gas a bit, but Chelsea played really well. But it’s the mind that dictates the body and I’m sure Real players will try to prove their point on the pitch,” Mendieta, now a La Liga ambassador, added.

Manager Zinedine Zidane, Mendieta feels, has a pivotal role to play the lift the morale of the players. “Definitely, Zidane needs to motivate them and lift their spirits as they no longer have any chance to feature in the Champions League final.

“It’s more about the mindset and how to confront the situation in such a short span of time,” he said.

On part with the second-placed Real at 74 points, Barcelona too are in with a chance to win the title, especially as Lionel Messi has been in an “unbelievable form” since the second half of the season, Mendieta feels.

However, he’s also of the view that youngsters in the Barcelona squad need to deliver in order to reduce Messi’s workload. “It’s time for them to step up,” he said.