MADRID, 14 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The former Real Madrid player Fernando Morientes acknowledged this Friday that the state of mind is “very important” when facing “determining matches” such as El Clásico between the whites and FC Barcelona, an “equal” duel in which the meringues they will have the Santiago Bernabéu “in their favour”.
“The state of mind is very important to play decisive games. And when one ‘clicks’ in an important game in the Champions League, it can affect, but they are players used to these moments, to get out of negative situations. I don’t think it especially affects the players of Barça”, said the former striker during the La Barra de los Encuentros event organized by Mahou.
However, Morientes insisted that the match will be “very balanced”, due to the start of both teams in the league championship and “the quality that will be on the pitch”. Although Real Madrid will have “something in its favor” by playing at home. “But seeing previous matches we will have to wait,” he pointed out.
“Real Madrid always needs to win El Clásico, but there is no favourite. There are 22 ‘great players’ and we are happy to be able to enjoy the match”, added Morientes about the match.
Thus, he highlighted the evolution of the Barça team compared to last year, starting “from an uncompetitive team”. “He has made a tremendous effort to bring in great players. It has paid off, they are first, but in the Champions League they have punctured,” he analyzed, before emphasizing Robert Lewandowski’s form and his rapid adaptation.
“When you have the quality of Lewandowski and you score a couple of goals, the adaptation is over, it’s the best thing that can happen to a scorer, it seems that he has been playing in our league for four or five years,” he said.
The former striker for the current European champion addressed the form of Karim Benzema, who after his injury has gone five games without scoring. “He has been injured for a while, there is a process of improvement, and Benzema’s most important problem is that he has accustomed us to such spectacular things last year that when he does not reach that level it seems that the level has dropped a lot. He continues to be capital for Real Madrid”, he valued.
In addition, Morientes was not in favor of including Thibaut Courtois in the starting team for this Sunday’s game (4:15 p.m.), recovering from sciatica. “The infiltrations in the back… They don’t leave me alone. In the case of a position as decisive as that of goalkeeper, I wouldn’t risk it if I wasn’t at 90 percent, at least,” he said.
“I see it difficult for Rüdiger to play, the cuts are there. If he has something it is his aerial game, his forcefulness, it will be limited. Real Madrid has strengthened well for these moments. If he is at 80 percent due to the injury there would be no problem because others play”, he added about the German center-back, who points to losing after the blow received in the Champions League match on Tuesday.
Finally, he admitted that he would have “signed Haaland, Mbappé, everyone”, although he would not see it “normal” for Real Madrid to undertake the incorporation of the French striker, “after everything that has happened with the soap opera Mbappé”. “Football takes many turns, he will continue to be a great player and you can’t say no, but not today. Real Madrid has a competitive team, they did their homework,” he settled.