Aitor Karanka hopes Middlesbrough can handle pressure of promotion race

Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka is hoping his players can handle the pressure of the Sky Bet Championship promotion race.

The former Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid defender believes the clubs which handle that pressure best will make it to the Premier League, and he is determined to ensure the Teessiders are among them.

Karanka told the Evening Gazette: "When I was a player, I loved to play under pressure because the most important games are the games players like to play in.

"But not all of the players are the same, some can manage better than others.

"Every single game from now, we are going to be under pressure and the team that manages the pressure will have the best chance of achieving their goals.

"Teams which have better and more determined players can have an advantage, as will the teams that are fresh, because this league is very tough."

Karanka is now looking forward to a week in which to re-group after a gruelling run of fixtures.

Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest was Boro's ninth game in 29 days, four of which ended in defeat.

Now Karanka is hoping to use this week to settle things down and prepare for a potentially crucial eight days during which the Teessiders will face promotion rivals Ipswich, Derby and Bournemouth.

Karanka told the Northern Echo: "We have had nine games in one month and it was impossible to get on the training ground properly.

"We will learn now. I have not liked the last three of four games. We have one week to get back to our style of three weeks ago.

"Every day I learn about my players and my work. I need to keep learning and this is one of those days again."