Madrid's 1-0 victory over Recreativo Huelva on Saturday snapped a three-game winless streak that had led to coach Bernd Schuster spending the week fielding questions about his future.

The display at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium - which one Spanish newspaper labeled a 'Triumph of Mediocrity' - failed to convince many that the team's form is improving. Only days ahead of an important Champions League match against BATE Borisov, tension remains.

'Of course, (tension) is normal. We have to win games, you know.

You play for a club like Real Madrid, the people outside start talking,' winger Royston Drenthe said. 'It's not easy to play football here, the people are very strong. A couple of losses and it's difficult.

'But this is Real Madrid. You go out to play football like you know, not like the crowd but how your trainer and you know.' Whistles and white handkerchiefs prevailed over applause at the Bernabeu after the two-time defending Spanish champions hung on for a win that gave them 26 points - two behind leader Barcelona.

'It wasn't a brilliant game,' Madrid striker Javier Saviola said. 'It wasn't a game that people could enjoy but we finished it second and that's how it is.' Struggling for confidence, Madrid's players tried to spin the victory in a positive manner.

'It is a difficult situation. It's also a little bit, (we're) not scared, but not happy and we didn't play well, (but) it's good that we win this game,' midfielder Rafael van der Vaart said. 'It was not a great day for us, but we played like a team today.' In the Champions League, Madrid trails Juventus by four points.

On Tuesday, the nine-time European champions travel to Belarus to face BATE Borisov.

'In the beginning of the season we won a lot of games and we have a lot of self confidence and now it's a little bit less,' Van der Vaart said. 'Then we went out and lost two times against Juventus and that was something difficult for us. Now we can start winning again.' Gonzalo Higuain, who leads the team with nine goals, will miss the trip to Belarus because he severely sprained his left ankle against Recreativo. Madrid is already without Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben, Mahamadou Diarra and Ruben de la Red, while Wesley Sneijder, Fabio Cannavaro and Gabriel Heinze remain doubtful.

A victory over BATE would bring the club closer to cashing in on a pay incentive offered by president Ramon Calderon.

Madrid issued a statement saying that if players could string seven straight victories together - including a victory over Barcelona next month - then a bonus and a surprise friendly match to be played in the Middle East on Dec. 22 would await.

Drenthe said that the bonus was inconsequential.

'We are Real Madrid, there is always hope,' the Dutchman said.

'We never go in with our head down, always our head up.' -- AP