Guti press conference
Guti says the team’s morale is high and that it believes in its chances to win both competitions it plays in.
How does the team feel after such a positive weekend?
Morale on the team is high. Three weeks ago we were 12 points behind Barcelona, but we are now just four behind. That makes us happier and it also strengthens our belief in our chances.
How do you think the derby will unfold?
It will be a compliacted match for both sides. We’ve just had a great run and we want to keep it up. Atletico have had a few complicated weeks during which they’ve signed a new coach, but their victory against Bartcelona boosted their morale. It will be a beautiful and fun game.
What chances do you think you have of winning La Liga and the Champions League?
La Liga is open right now. We have more chances of winning, but we must remain calm because Barcelona still have the advantage. We earned a bad home result in the Champions League and the return leg will be complicated, but this team is good enough to make a comeback. Liverpool didn’t do much over here. Their strength relies on set pieces and an organised defence. We will try to score an early goal to draw the tie as soon as possible.
The President seems very optimistic. Have his latest comments bothered the squad at all?
Optimism is always a good thing. The President wants to send out a confident message and he wants the team to feel comfortable and be calm in order to do well. Everyone will give his own opinion in the end. This team is very confident in its chances.
Did you watch last night’s match between Barcelona and Mallorca?
It was a complicated game for Barcelona. The match was marked by Mallorca’s missed penalty. Messi pulled through in the end. They had a positive result from the first leg, which explains what happened.
Do you think they are giving signs of weakness?
They may be a bit nervous and they may also be lacking the flow they had at first. The same thing happened to us last year; we had a great start to the season, followed by a drop in our performances. It’s hard to give 100% all the time.
Would you like Barcelona to continue in the Champions League?
I always prefer Barcelona to lose. Nevertheless, I would welcome a longer run of theirs in the Champions League if it helped us catch up with them in La Liga.
Can Real Madrid withstand playing in both championships?
We plan every season out in order to be strong in every competition at the end of the year. This squad is strong enough to play well in every championship.
Would you like to be in Barcelona’s shoes?
I would like to be in their position in La Liga, but I wouldn’t change this squad for theirs. Our ten straight victories allow us to be strong now.
Why do Real Madrid make teams so nervous?
I don’t know. Our opponents’ game is always altered when we earn many consecutive results. I don’t think they fear us; I think it’s respect. Opponents respect us more when we have a good run.
All polls say Real Madrid are now favourites to win the title.
They are just polls, nothing more. We have chances to win the title and we will fight to win this championship, which everyone said would be Barcelona’s three weeks ago.
Would not making any of the starting line-ups against Atletico or Liverpool bother you?
The only thing that would bother me would be not winning against either team. The coach decides who plays.
Despite winning 30 points in ten games the team isn’t playing very well.
In the end, what people really want is a title. Fans enjoy key moments in every season, but a campaign with no titles is judged as poor both at Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Are you taking precautions to avoid an excess of confidence?
The derby pits us against a direct opponent from the same city. A derby is always interesting and all of us are motivated for it. Winning will be important to take a step further in La Liga and to gain confidence for Tuesday’s match.
Do you think Raul may be called-up to be Spain’s third or fourth striker?
Raul can be a striker on any team.
Which Atletico men would you rather not face?
Aguero and Forlan because they are their most decisive men. The former has great quality and can score goals, and the latter is a killer striker in the box, one of the best in the championship.
Ronaldo will play for Corintians again. What can you say about him?
He is the best striker I’ve played with. I wish him all the best. Football misses him and I hope he recovers and plays as well as he used to.
Santillana to Grada Blanca
Carlos Alonso Gonzalez, Santillana, was 17 years at Real Madrid, during which he faced Atletico 15 times at the Bernabeu, scoring 9 goals in total.
You played 27 games against Atletico, 15 at the Bernabeu…
Just imagine how many derbies I was in during the 17 seasons I played for Real Madrid. These are beautiful games because of their great rivalry. They are a delight in a crowded stadium. Derbies are a celebration of Madrid football and of the sport in general.
No-one has been in as many derbies at the Bernabeu as Gento and yourself. You scored more goals than anyone else.
I didn’t know that. I find out about these things when journalists ring me up and tell me. I am very happy about having been able to contribute a little to Real Madrid’s great history with goals and many games. It means I performed at a high level.
Is there a match you remember especially well?
I remember one of the first games I played at the Bernabeu. We won 1-0. I remember I was marked by Iselin Santos Ovejero, who came on for Martinez Jayo due to injury. I was lucky enough to score the winning goal from a header.
Well, that was your first goal in a derby.
That was the first? Well, first goal in a derby… I remember it was a very happy day. It was my first season at the Club.
Sergio Ramos to RealMadrid.com
Sergio Ramos shared his views on the derby and talked about the pressure the team is putting on Barcelona.
Atletico have a great pair of strikers in Aguero and Forlan. They are dangerous in attack and we’ll have to keep an eye on them, as well as on Simao and Maxi. They all help each other out and do something different for the team. Forlan is a killer striker and Aguero is more technical. They are very good against centre backs and we’ll have to be concentrated and motivated in defence. I think we can win 2-0 or 2-1.
Our defensive line hasn’t changed; we are the same players. I think we were more distracted before. We pay closer attention during free-kicks and work on strategy.
Juande’s work on a physical and tactical level has been very important. We used to be weaker, but we perform at a higher level now.
We still haven’t achieved anything yet. We are second four points behind Barcelona. We must work on each game at a time. Barcelona have the advantage. We have to try to take as many points as we can. We are showcasing great character and putting much pressure on them, something other teams wouldn’t do. People should respect Real Madrid. Being chased by Real Madrid is not the same as being chased by any other side. We will showcase this drive as long as there is a mathematical chance to make a comeback. That has always been the defining element of this team. That’s why it’s won more titles than any other side.
Higuain to AS
Gonzalo Higuain has scored 14 goals this season, 12 of them at the Bernabeu. The Argentinean told AS he will try to score against Atletico as soon as he “steps onto the pitch.”
Last weekend was great for the team…
Yes, last weekend was amazing. It’s been incredible to get eight points closer to Barcelona in just three weeks, but we have to continue in this line of work because getting here was very hard work. We have an important game on Saturday against Atletico and we must stay on the path to success.
Did you believe Atletico could defeat Barcelona?
Yes. We all believed it could be a great game. Thank God it was. Atletico’s victory kept us just four points behind Barcelona.
Don’t you think December was a bit too soon for people to say Barcelona were going to win the league title?
It was because there were still six more months left in the championship. This is very long and everything can suddenly change. We will put more pressure on them if we win our vital game on Saturday.
Did the squad believe it could win the title when the team was 12 points behind Barcelona?
We knew the championship was far from over. The squad was a bit hurt by the defeat at Camp Nou, but we knew there was a lot of time left. Things constantly change in football. People said we wouldn’t win the title, but we never lost faith. Perseverance has allowed us to be were we are now.
It was impossible to imagine this team would win ten consecutive victories…
It was never impossible because excitement never left the team. We’ve conceded very few goals in the last ten games, which says a lot about our defence. The team is well balanced and we are strong in attack. The important thing is that we stayed calm when we were in that situation.
Did you watch the Atletico-Barcelona clash?
I just watched parts of it.
Were you watching when Atletico scored their fourth goal or did someone tell you?
I watched the end of the match and we were all very happy when Kun scored because his strike allowed us to be closer to Barcelona.
Real Madrid have improved a lot since January…
We have. Our results prove we are a complicated opponent. We are having a great moment and we must keep it up in order to win titles this season.
Atletico will receive hell at the Bernabeu…
The crowd will be very much into the game because it knows we are in the fight for the title when we were 12 points behind just a few weeks ago. Adrenaline hits centre stage when you reduce the distance by eight points in just three weeks. The crowd supported us when we were 12 points behind and it will surely support us now. We want to make Madridismo happy on Saturday.
What do you feel against Atletico? You always seem to score against them…
I’ve been lucky to score in every game I’ve played against them, both in my first derby when Capello was coach and at the start of this season; I missed both derbies last year. You get a great feeling by scoring against the eternal foe. I will try to score against them on Saturday as soon as I step onto the pitch.
Everyone believes you should be a starter on the team…
I know, but there are 24 players available to the coach. We are all proving to be fit to play in any game. Every player that gets a chance does well, and that’s very important. We are a true team. We are united and it’s great to be this way at this crucial stage of the campaign.
The match with Atletico will surely be like a final because a defeat would practically destroy everything you’ve achieved…
Sure it would. It will be like a final. The game is very important because a defeat would render everything we’ve done so far practically useless. This is a final and we are out to get them.
How far ahead would you like Barcelona to be when they come to the Bernabeu?
It would be perfect to be in the situation we are in now. Winning against them would leave us just one point behind. Nevertheless, I wish the distance is even shorter when the day comes.
What do you think the final score will be on Saturday?
I don’t like to guess scores. I know we will try hard to win and that the match will be great for all to watch.
Just another Madridista
Junta speak