Madrid, Jan 13 (IANS): Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was at best enigmatic as he spoke to the press following his side's 0-0 draw away to bottom-of-the-table Osasuna.

Without star striker Cristiano Ronaldo Saturday, Mourinho's side produced a stale performance and never looked like winning the game. The result leaves them 15 points behind league leaders FC Barcelona, and those 15 points could turn into 18 if Barca win away to Malaga Sunday night, reports Xinhua.

However, rather than criticize his side, Mourinho preferred to imply that other factors were responsible for his side's poor domestic season.

"I don't want to explain anything, but this began in the first weeks of the season," said the Real Madrid coach.

"Things happened then that I don't want to talk about, because it isn't worth talking about. Then of course one player is without pressure and the other sees you are not going to get there. It is a question of motivation," continued Mourinho, who refused to give further explanations.

"I was pleased with the attitude of my team and there were people who played well. I don't usually give names, but Raul Albiol and Fabio Coentrao deserve words of praise because they have not played for a long time because of injury. They came back for a very demanding match and they both played very well," he said.

The Madrid coach also had words for goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, who he had left on the bench at the start of his side's last two league matches, but who was back in the starting lineup as Antonio Adan was suspended.

"I liked Iker's performance in the cup against Celta in midweek, he did what a goalkeeper had to do, which is to give points to his side. He performed like the goalkeeper for a big team," said Mourinho, who was nevertheless unwilling to say if Casillas would start in the Copa del Rey quarter final against Valencia Tuesday.