Mojica: “Beating Real Madrid is something great, spectacular”

Johan Andrés Mojica Palacio (Cali, 1992) is the sprinter for Elche. The Colombian attends AS in the best moment of his career. The side is convinced that his team can give the bell at the Bernabéu. experience has to with Girona he already knocked down Madrid on two occasions.

What an intense week. Two games against Madrid in 72 hours…

That’s great. We hope to make history. The idea was to go through in the Cup and now we want to try to beat Madrid at the Bernabéu.

Do you expect a different game?

Every game is different. Madrid is very good and they beat us on Thursday, but we are going to try to play a game to counteract their virtues and exploit ours. We’ve played good games and we’re getting better and better. We are having regularity.

They were very close to eliminating Madrid. Have you thought about it a lot?

Eliminating Madrid would have been spectacular, but we have to focus on the game at the Bernabéu. You have to go with a winning mentality.

How can you beat Madrid?

We have to have an excellent game. We must take care of all the details and the level of concentration has to be very high. At Elche we hope to make history. This opportunity has appeared and we want to take advantage of it.

You know what it is to beat Madrid…

With Girona we won twice, one of them at the Bernabéu. It was spectacular. Beating Madrid is something great. It is a very powerful team, but on a personal level they are the same as us. We have to go with a winning mentality and be convinced of our game. Of course, you always have to respect Madrid.

Do you think it’s the fittest team in Europe?

He is proving it in all competitions. Madrid, as it is, is one of the best in the world.

Let’s talk about Mojica. She’s in her best moment?

I’m very happy. Physically I feel very well. I think offensively and defensively I’m in my best shape. I am helping the team in the footballing, emotional and mental aspects. I feel like a protagonist and at Elche I am exploiting the leadership that I have as a person. I insist, my good moment allows the team to benefit. I’ve been at Elche for a year now and my balance is very positive. I hope to continue like this.

He leads various stats within his team. He stands out in recoveries, assists, minutes played…

I am in an excellent moment. It is true that this world has completely changed and now everything is statistics. Now you only see the crosses, the goals, the assists… It doesn’t seem right to me because if you don’t excel at that, it seems you haven’t played a good game. Even so, I am adapting to the new world and I am complying with the statistics.

Has anything changed for the better?

I have matured as a player after seeing and analyzing my last seasons. Now I see myself more complete and I have grown a lot tactically.

How do you see Vinicius?

He is an unbalanced and different player. He’s very good, but Palacios has defended him very well in the games we’ve played. Vinicius is capable of marking you if you give him two moves. They are footballers who force you to be at 200%. You have to be aggressive and forceful to defend him.

And Benzema?

He is among the best in the world in his position. In addition to goals, it generates football. He is very complete and it shows that he is a leader.

As a farewell, do you see Elche capable of winning at the Bernabéu?

I am convinced because I have already done it before. Also, whenever I face a rival I think we can beat them, with respect. We are acquiring that winning mentality and the team is transforming.