Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has leaped to the defence of his faltering players and tipped them to rediscover their form.

Los Blancos have won only two of their last six league matches, leaving them 16 points behind table-topping Barcelona with a game in hand, but the Frenchman has accused their critics of overlooking the positive aspects of their season so far.

"We can't always look at or listen to what is being said. It's difficult, but nowadays everything that is said about Real Madrid is negative, and I don't see it that way, we're not that bad," he told reporters.

"You (the media) know very well it is not all negative here. But it is very easy to say bad things about Real Madrid, it sells more.

"The positive thing is that we are still alive in all competitions. I watch the matches back two or three times and I don't agree with everything that's being said. I accept what is being said, but there are lots of positive things coming out of this team at the minute."

Despite being off the pace in La Liga, Real have made it through to the knockout phase of the Champions League and are into the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.