Budimir: “There we already got a point and now we play at home”

Against Budimir (Zenica, Bosnia, although with Croatian nationality, 30 years old) he has never faced Madrid in El Sadar with an audience, nor has he scored against the whites. That’s why he refers to today as a very special night. He does not want to think about the result, but about doing things well both him and the team. He is on a roll and has scored in the last four league games. There is no doubt that he would like to prolong his run, but he insists forcefully that the goal is the culmination of the work of the whole team. He remembers that at the Bernabéu they already managed to score.

Playing against Real Madrid, is it special?

Yes. I think it’s going to be a special day because, indeed, the leader arrives and we’re going to face them again, with an audience. Everyone tries to give a plus in these types of games. With our fans, it will be a special night.

Of course, you have never experienced an Osasuna-Real Madrid with an audience…

That is. The stadium is going to be full and I know they are going to give us a lot of support. With the public we are going to give everything to take Osasuna as high as possible. See what happens.

Would you say that for Osasuna this match comes at the best moment, after two consecutive wins and three in a row at home?

It can be seen in many ways. It is true that we are in a good moment, but there are many LaLiga teams that are better. We have to think about ourselves, prepare ourselves well. Only if we are one hundred percent can we have some options against a team like Real Madrid. We are going to prepare the game to the fullest and we are going to play it with great enthusiasm.

For you, what would it mean to win this match?

For us it is very good to have this illusion of looking up. It is something very beautiful and we have to be grateful and value it every day. You can’t beat big teams easily, but we have to try and we’re going to do it. About half past eleven we will know the result. But we don’t have to be thinking about that all the time, but prepare well and enjoy the night with enthusiasm, enthusiasm, mentality…

Can you imagine what it would be like to win against Real Madrid, with El Sadar full and Budimir scoring, even if it’s teamwork?

For a striker to score is special, but I return to the same. We have to do the job well, enjoy doing it… That’s a very important base. We have to try to achieve the team’s goals. Everyone tries to help the team and do their thing and mine is to be close to the goal and try to score. I don’t want to think too much about trying to get something concrete, like a goal. The goal is the final goal, before you have to do many things in a game. A victory is a consequence of many things.

He has scored in the last four games, he is living a sweet moment…

I am living a moment of being well inside the area, in front of the goal. This year it was a bit difficult for me due to several issues, but I knew that I had to work and concentrate a lot during the weeks to pick up the rhythm, form, then minutes… I knew that once I had achieved all this, I would be more successful in front of goal. This moment has come and I have to take advantage of it, take care of form and continue working.

What would you say is Madrid’s greatest danger?

They have champions in all their lines. Benzema broke the record for league goals the other day. They are dangerous on all lines. We have to give a good level to be able to compete with them. But there is also the quality they have as a team and individually. I could not stay with a quality. They are very strong. They are also fantastic in Champions. We have to think about ourselves.

Osasuna usually bets on high pressure. Do you think Real Madrid can be played like this?

During the game there will be moments of attacking and pressing a lot, but they will also require us to defend. Surely with our virtues, our strength and playing in our field, we have to try to stop the attacks and actions in the rival field and take advantage, try to be close to the goal and try to do damage. We do this well and we need to do it this time. There will be moments that we will have to defend in our area. We did it in Madrid and we did it very well. We got a point at the Bernabéu.

Is there any Real Madrid player that you particularly like?

There is little to say about Benzema. His numbers speak. Modric makes some impressive plays. He has been at Madrid for many years and continues at the same level. Marking Courtois is not easy. In all their lines they have great players and that is why they are one of the best teams in the world. It is not something that discourages us because we have our qualities. We have already made a point against them this year and now we play at home.

There is beginning to be a lot of talk about Osasuna being in European positions at the end of the season. How do you see it?

Much will depend on what happens in the Copa del Rey. We have already met our goal, but there are six games left to try to finish as high as possible. There is no telling where we may end up. Hopefully we can maintain the dynamic that we have of results and see where it is not leading. It is not an obligation to finish in Europe, but in the remaining games we are going to give everything to try.

Osasuna is usually a very strong team at home but this year it has cost them and now they are succeeding.

I just noticed today that we’ve only won five games at home. They are few victories. The good thing is that there are still a few games left and it would be nice to increase the numbers at home. We will try. It is very special to finish winning in El Sadar and celebrate it with the fans, that the children are waiting for you outside. Here that is very beautiful and they give us a lot of joy.

It has not been an easy season for you. How has it been?

It has been a particular season. He practically cannot do the preseason. I was stopped and all this determined my state of form. But I have been lucky enough to recover very well from my injury, to have the support of the club, their trust. They have helped me recover. From then on I was calm because I knew that with work I could achieve everything, return to my best version. Now everything is where I want and I have to continue working.

To finish, do you dare to predict a result for the match against Madrid?

No. I just know that we are going to start zero to zero. In football everything is possible. Let’s enjoy the match.