Malaga attacker Samu Castillejo has claimed that his team's 'morale has been strengthened' following Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Real Madrid.

A poor run of form has seen Malaga's grip on seventh position in La Liga loosen, but Castillejo believes that their performance at the Bernabeu will act as a springboard for the remainder of the season.

"We'll be going out with our morale strengthened because we held our own for 90 minutes in Madrid and had the chances to have drawn the game," Castillejo told reporters.

Malaga, who host Deportivo La Coruna in the league on Sunday, currently sit seventh in La Liga, just three points above eighth-placed Athletic Bilbao.