“There are no friendly matches" - Barcelona star sends warning to Real Madrid ahead of El Clasico in pre-season friendly
Barcelona captain Sergi Roberto has sent a warning to his team ahead of their pre-season showdown against Real Madrid. Roberto said that an El Clasico is always a game of high intensity, and there are no friendlies against Los Blancos.
The Blaugrana are set to take on their arch-rivals in their second pre-season game of the season. Ahead of the much-anticipated showdown between two top Spanish clubs in the United States, Roberto said (via Barca Blaugranes):
“A Clasico is always special, but we’ve only played one game. We had that stomach problem. It’s the second game of the pre-season, but against Real Madrid, you always have to go out and win."
Speaking about the team's performance in the previous friendly against Arsenal, which Barcelona lost 5-3, Roberto said:
“There are no friendly matches. You always want to win. Against Arsenal, we already knew what to expect. They are one of the best in Europe, and it was a difficult test for us, especially because this was the first game, after the first one was cancelled."
Roberto went on to insist that Barcelona are in the US to prepare for the forthcoming 2023-24 season and not to spend a vacation:
“Playing against these teams are very good tests. We are not here on vacation but to prepare for the season.”
What Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said ahead of Barcelona showdown?
Real Madrid have played pre-season games against AC Milan and Manchester United. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is looking to keep his team in the best shape ahead of the upcoming clash against Barcelona.
Ancelotti is keen on getting a good result against Xavi Hernandez's side, who proved to be a nightmare for Los Blancos last season. Ahead of the game, Ancelotti said (via Los Blancos' website):
"In the two previous games we've played some good football, and we also have some things to improve on. It's an opportunity to get the motor warmed up. We're doing well, and we want to continue in the same vein.
"We'll do our best, but we're playing against a very strong opponent with a lot of quality. The result is the least important thing; the most important thing is to keep progressing. It's a very demanding test because the opponents are very strong."
Barcelona won La Liga last season while Real Madrid's performances in the league were far from expected, as the then reigning champions finished a whopping ten points.