Real Valladolid defender Carlos Pena has insisted that his side can move away from the relegation zone in La Liga in the latter part of the season.

As it stands, Valladolid sit in 18th spot in the table on 22 points, but are just three points behind Malaga, who they face in the league this weekend.

"For fault of our own, our morale is low. Obviously the number of points we have isn't good, but results this weekend have benefited us. Even as badly as we've been doing, we're only three points away, one game from escaping the relegation zone," he told reporters.

"We have the game next Saturday, our next and most important and precisely against the team directly in the safety zone above us. We have to pick ourselves up and only think of this game, as if it were our last."

Valladolid have won just four times in the league this season, which is the second lowest total behind basement side Real Betis.