“The match against Real Madrid is a magnificent test for the final”
MADRID, 29 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simón has assured that this Sunday’s LaLiga EA Sports match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu is “a magnificent test” to face next week’s Copa del Rey final, the title that ” moves” all the fans and could allow them to complete “a wonderful season.
“The same is not understood outside of Athletic, but here it is unfeasible for someone to tell you that they prefer to enter ‘Champions’ than win a Copa del Rey. The Cup is the title that moves all our fans, that moves all of Bilbao, and It is what makes us full of hope and live these beautiful moments in football. I am always going to keep the Cup. We have to fight for both things, because we have both within reach, and we are faced with an opportunity to win. have a wonderful season,” he declared at a press conference.
In addition, he stated that inside the locker room the cup clash is experienced “with much more tranquility and calm” than outside. “We are aware of the opponent we have in the final, we know that apart from the last game in San Mamés, where we opened the scoring with a set piece, in the rest of the games it has been very difficult for us to create chances. They are a very demanding opponent, very solid, with good transitions and with good set pieces. We are quite cautious and try to give the importance that it deserves to the rival, to the game, to the situation,” he noted.
“The match we have against Madrid is a magnificent test. The final we have next week will be a high-intensity, high-level match, of withstanding many attacks from the rival, and that is what Madrid is going to subject us to “It is a wonderful test to go with all the senses focused on the final, and what better rival than this to be able to face the final that is coming to us. They will be two games of maximum intensity, which is what we need,” he continued.
In this sense, the player from Vitoria recognized that “it is always a motivation” to go to the Bernabéu to try to “get three points.” “It’s a spectacular stadium, I was lucky to be able to play there on Tuesday. Being able to go there and get three points is something we all want. In the end, if you focus on these types of things, that’s when you still have more pressure, you’re more accelerated on the field. You have to stay calm, but logically it is the Bernabéu and it imposes a little more than the rest of the fields,” he said.
“We have to go to the Bernabéu knowing that it is a goal we can set. We have to get ‘Champions’ numbers in these nine days and everything depends on getting the three points at the Bernabéu. It is a fantastic test for what we face. comes next week and also to continue in the fight for this fourth place,” he continued.
Regarding the white box, he assured that it is a team “that does not mind playing backwards” and that “knows what it is playing.” “He knows that he can let you have the ball and he is not uncomfortable. The problem comes when they catch the ball, both positionally and in transitions, and that they are effective; when they are in a low block they know how to take advantage of the space behind us very well. “They have people who have all styles, very skilled people like Rodrygo or Vinícius, from throwers like Valverde to finishers like Joselu. It’s a pretty complete team,” he said.
Brazilian Vinícius will not be in the duel due to an accumulation of cards. “If Vinícius does not play, he is in Bellingham, Rodrygo is there, Valverde is there… They are top players. Vinícius is decisive, we know the importance he has, but this week he is not playing and someone else will play who will be a ‘top’ player, because in “There are only world-class players in Madrid,” he said.
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On the other hand, Simón did not refuse to talk about his failure with the team against Brazil. “I take it with all the normality in the world because football is like that, sometimes these types of games happen to you that no one wants. Even if it were a friendly, it touches you a lot, because the team played a great game. It hurts you a little because You have part of the responsibility in it. Now we are in Athletic, so whatever has happened with the national team has already happened. We will take a look at it when the Euro Cup comes around,” he ventured.
In another order of things, he assessed the possibility of Julen Agirrezabala occupying the goal of the ‘lions’ at the Bernabéu with the Cup final approaching. “If it comes to that, I will accept Ernesto’s decision, which if he does It’s because it’s the best for the final. Right now I’m in a pretty good dynamic in LaLiga, but what matters is the good of the team; if the good of the team is that Julen has to play this weekend, then like that will be,” he stressed.
He also spoke about the situation of Kepa Arrizabalaga at Real Madrid. “It is a situation that was not expected. From the little that I know Kepa, I am sure that he continues training like an animal and preparing to be one hundred percent, so that when Carlo -Ancelotti- gives him an opportunity he can take advantage of it,” he stated.
“I have high regard for Kepa because he is a guy I grew up with here in Lezama; I have seen how he trains, how he competes, what his abilities are… For me he is one of the best goalkeepers I have met. I am sure that he will continue to tighten the screws on Lunin and that he will not give up at any time,” he continued.
Finally, Simón came out in defense of Álvaro Morata after the whistles he received at the Santiago Bernabéu. “No one likes to be whistled when they play at home. We cannot tell the fans not to whistle. We live with it, it is part of football. Álvaro manages that very well, he is a person who has his feet on the ground and when he gets whistled, he is a guy who keeps working. The other day he played a wonderful game, very good, we are calm about it,” he concluded.