"It's a new experience for me," the Brazil international told a news conference on Thursday. "I've never gone through anything like this before. One day I feel OK and the next day I feel bad.

"But I have to get over it and get back to being the player I was when I was at Juventus and when I play for Brazil. I have to improve at Real Madrid. It's a personal thing and I can't blame anyone else, it's down to me."

Emerson was signed from Juventus together with Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro at the request of the Serie A side's former coach Fabio Capello when he took charge at Real in the close season.

Neither player has lived up to expectation, however, and Emerson has come in for particularly heavy criticism from the media and Real fans for his lacklustre performances in the centre of midfield.

Frequently jeered when he has played at the Bernabeu, the 30-year-old refused to celebrate when he scored his only league goal of the season and has found himself consigned to the bench in recent home games.

The Brazilian denied he had refused to come on as a substitute in last month's Champions League game at home to Bayern Munich and insisted he had not reached an agreement with Capello to avoid playing at the Bernabeu.

CRITICISM

"I think that constructive criticism is important, but a lot of the time people are saying things that just aren't true and that upsets me," he said.

"There's been no deal with the boss. He decides who plays in each game and I always respect his decision. It's not true that I did not want to play. I've never refused to play."

The midfielder also refuted claims that he was planning to leave the club at the end of the season.

"I've got two more years left on my contract and so I can't be thinking about that," he said. "I've got to work hard over the next few months in order to improve. I can't think of leaving when we've still got a chance of winning the league."

Real are in third place in the table, five points behind joint leaders Barcelona and Sevilla.