Barcelona midfielder Denis Suarez has admitted that his side cannot afford to suffer any more league defeats this season if they are to retain the La Liga title.

The reigning champions currently sit second in the table, three points behind leaders Real Madrid, but Zinedine Zidane's side have a game in hand after their involvement in the Club World Cup.

Los Blancos are unbeaten in the top flight this season, but Barcelona have suffered two losses in their opening 16 matches and Suarez has conceded that his team now have little room for manoeuvre.

"Madrid always fight until the end - we see that in the way they play," Suarez told Mundo Deportivo.

"But it doesn't matter. Okay, they have a six-point lead, but it's not that much and they still have to play some difficult teams. Starting from now, we can't lose any more. We want the league and we want to push for it."

Barcelona will return to domestic action with a trip to in-form Villarreal on January 8.