El Clasico: Watch out for ‘wounded’ Madrid, warns Valverde

By Daily Sports on October 28, 2018

Real Madrid's dire run of form makes them an even more dangerous prospect for La Liga leaders Barcelona in Sunday’s ‘Clasico’, Barca coach Ernesto Valverde said on Saturday.

Real head to the Nou Camp without a win in the league since September 22, seventh in the table and with coach Julen Lopetegui almost certainly facing the sack should his side fail to win the eagerly-anticipated meeting between Spain's two biggest clubs.

"We all know how Madrid are, the more wounded they are, the more dangerous they are," Valverde told a news conference.

"The key to winning the game will be who plays best on the day and not about who is in better form. I expect to face the best possible Madrid side."

Despite Real's problems, a win for the European champions would see them cut the gap behind Barca down to a single point.

Valverde said Real's problems have been exaggerated and that his side were motivated by a desire to further twist the knife into their arch-rivals.

"We aren't focusing too much on that, there's a lot of noise when teams run into situations like this but we are focusing on what our opponents are truly like, and they have a fantastic team, they aren't lacking in any areas," he added.

"We are only four points ahead of them, it's not a huge distance. Crises in teams like Real Madrid are always blown out of proportion, but out on the pitch the players are the same as they are."

Barca experienced their own struggles with form this season when they went on a four-match winless run but they are on a roll after a convincing 4-2 win over Sevilla last week and an impressive 2-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League.

They will still be without Lionel Messi with a broken arm although Valverde said Barca, who eased to victory over Inter without the Argentinian, have already dealt with the temporary absence of their all-time top scorer.

"We have already moved on, we have to take a step forward like we did against Inter. It feels strange to prepare for a Clasico without him, but the team is mentally ready," he said.

The 'Clasico' is the most watched domestic game in club football and has produced unforgettable moments, such as a Barca fan throwing a pig's head at Real's Luis Figo in a meeting in 2002 after the Portuguese controversially crossed the divide.

For most of the last decade, the fixture has been defined by the battle for supremacy between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Real for Juventus at the end of last season.

Valverde, though, laughed off suggestions that the two forwards' absence would make the fixture any less entertaining.

"It is no less of a ‘Clasico’ without Messi and Cristiano," he said. "It has existed long before they did, there has always been tension, there have even been flying pigs heads.” (SuperSport)

•Photo shows Barcelona coach, Ernest's Valverde 

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 28, 2018


 

You may also like...
Ijaw/Itsekiri Peace and Unity Cup 2019 Gets Date...

10 Benin players and ex-FA boss sentenced to...

Henry, Vieira’s clash postponed in France

Istanbul To Host 2023 Champions League Final

Rohr: John Obi Mikel Committed to Leading Nigeria...

Man City made to work for win over...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,308 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,743 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,932 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media