Alfonso Pérez: “Barça will arrive with anger and desire, we have to be very careful with them”
ALCOBENDAS (MADRID), Oct. 13 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The former player of Real Madrid Rubén de la Red analyzed this Thursday the Clásico next Sunday (4:15 p.m.), a duel in which “it does not matter what game you had three days before”, in reference to FC Barcelona’s tie in the Champions League, and for which both groups start from the “50/50” of winning options.
“A Clásico is a Clásico, it doesn’t matter what game you had three days before. Your head restarts and you know that what you have in front of you is the most important game. The dynamics are different, but anything can happen”, said De la Red during the Nacex Madrid-Barça padel challenge.
The former midfielder for the merengue team and European champion with Spain in 2008 insisted that in the duels between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona there are no favorites or “steps”, since the two teams “start from a 50/50, and so seen in history.” “It can have an influence as the minutes go by and depending on the result, but before the game starts, everything is even”, he commented regarding the most favorable streak of Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
De la Red analyzed Barça’s draw (3-3) against Inter this Wednesday, with “errors caused by circumstances”, which complicates the pass to the Champions League round of 16 for Xavi Hernández’s side. However, he did not support the whistles from the stands of the Spotify Camp Nou to players like Gerard Piqué or Eric García. “All whistles are unfair, because you do your best, but it is the fans’ way of expressing themselves. As long as they are whistles and not insults, you can take them. There are many bad games in a football career,” he deepened.
“At Real Madrid we think first of the club, that we do well, we are not so aware of the other teams. I have never been aware of Barça losing, quite the opposite, that we win and meet the objective” , pointed out about the mentality of the merengue team.
De la Red sees it as “normal” that Karim Benzema’s “such good dynamics” have been “cut off” after his injury. “But it’s important and you don’t have to have problems being at the same level as always. If you come back from an injury at the same level, it’s extraordinary. Normally it’s hard for you, on a mental level it’s also hard to start,” he reflected, highlighting the “temperament” of a Vinicius, who “comes up” with provocations, “like Cristiano Ronaldo”. “It doesn’t lose energy, it’s being involved in the game,” he added.
ALFONSO PÉREZ: “THIS CLASSIC IS NOT DETERMINANT FOR THE TITLE”
For his part, Alfonso Pérez, a former soccer player for both teams, stated that the Clásico is “a very nice and special match”, conditioned on this occasion by the “stick” that Barça suffered in the Champions League. “Emotionally, it’s not good news for Barcelona. But you have to take a team like Barça very much into account. In addition, the anger and desire they will have… You have to be very careful with them. hard, but a Barcelona player would choose the Clásico to get rid of that bad feeling”, he warned.
“It’s a very attractive scenario and rival for them to get out of that streak and in front of them will be a Real Madrid that will go for it all. The match is not very decisive for the championship, but they are matches that everyone likes to win. The two teams will be eager because you always want to beat the closest rival. Saying a result is very complicated, there is no clear favourite, anything can happen,” he added.
In addition, he analyzed the level reached by Benzema and Lewandowski, “two great players”. “Lewandowski is one of the best strikers in the world and Benzema is a very important player for Real Madrid, not only because of his goals, but also because of his presence and what he generates. He is coming off an injury, but nobody doubts Benzema’s quality I am convinced that he can get even this Sunday,” he said.
SANTILLANA: “REAL MADRID HAVE MANY CHANCES OF WINNING”
An opinion shared by Carlos Alonso González ‘Santillana’, who maintained that “it is a delight to see” the two ‘9’s. “Benzema is more technically complete, he contributes more to the team. Lewandowski is a box mouse, a scorer, but Benzema is different, he doesn’t need to score goals to play a good game”, he underlined.
The legend of the white team stressed that in a Classic “the dynamics in which each team arrives are not useful”. “Psychologically the two teams will be very prepared, emotionally I think that Real Madrid have many chances of winning”, he wished.
“You are not always at the same level, Real Madrid started at a very high level, the fact that in the last two-three games they have not been at the same level is not significant, they will be at the top of everything in all competitions,” the Cantabrian advanced.
In addition, he addressed the situation of Barça, which “needs to confirm how they want to play.” “Not because you sign great players in the end you have a great team. It will do so because it has great players, with young players. You have to give it a little time,” he urged.
Finally, the former striker confessed that Kylian Mbappé is “pure spectacle and seeing him play at the Bernabéu would be a delight”. “But a player is not essential, the important thing is to have a block and with him you can have problems to set up a team. If in the first game he scores three goals, people would forget, but the people of Real Madrid do not usually forgive these things “, he concluded.