Clemente confident of saving Murcia from relegation

Reuters - New coach Javier Clemente is confident second from bottom Real Murcia can avoid a swift return to the second division.

"If I didn't think there was a chance of saving them from relegation I wouldn't have come," the former Spain and Serbia coach told a news conference on Friday. "A reason for my optimism is there are more than one or two teams involved in the fight.

"There are about six or seven teams in this mess. We are where we are and we have to find out what we are doing wrong in order to improve."

Murcia are six points from safety and have lost their last four Primera Liga games without scoring a goal.

But with 12 matches left the eight teams above them are only separated by three points.

"I won't fix this by myself," said Clemente. "I am in charge, the team have to do it and everyone else has to help."

Clemente, who turned down the chance to coach Iran last month, replaced the sacked Lucas Alcaraz on Thursday.

Alcaraz led the club to promotion last season. Murcia host Getafe in the league on Sunday.