Following the completion of the November international break, Real Madrid are set to resume their campaign this weekend as they take on Elche.
It will be a must-win game for Los Blancos at the Manuel Martinez Valero stadium as they look to maintain the lead over Barcelona.
Speaking to Cadena SER (h/t Mundo Deportivo) ahead of this game, Elche president Joaquin Buitrago talked about how Elche are viewing this Real Madrid game while also sharing his perspective on Florentino Perez.
What Elche president said ahead of Real Madrid game
Buitrago started by talking about the excitement within Elche fans to witness a champion team like Real Madrid, which has led to the Valero being full.
“It’s an intense week because everyone wants to come and see this important match. They’re a highly anticipated opponent,” he said.
“It’s Real Madrid and everyone wants to see the big stars. We try to please everyone as much as possible.”
Speaking of attendance, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu has been on the spotlight recently after ranking fourth among Europe in terms of average attendance this season.
The Elche president explained how it is like to face a team like Real Madrid, as pressure plays an important role.
“In these kinds of matches you always suffer. You suffer when you’re winning because you want to hold onto the result; when you’re tied, because you don’t want them to score; and when you’re losing, because you want to come back,” he said.
“Some years you suffer more than others. We suffer, but we’re having a good time.”
Talking about Real Madrid, Buitrago talked about stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham. But he admitted that the quality of opponent won’t impact Elche’s mentality.
“When we’ve played against top teams, players like Vinicius, Mbappe, or Bellingham… they’re world-class players. We play hoping that when they play against us, they won’t be at their best and we can limit their strengths.
Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid
Elche president wary of Real Madrid’s quality. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“Eder doesn’t care about opponents or names. His mentality is to go out and play his game, and his mindset is always on not drawing or losing, only winning,” he added.
Elche are currently 11th in the league table with 15 points collected from the first 12 matches of the season.
When asked about how he approaches every game, Buitrago said, “I prefer to suffer in silence and endure. I try to maintain my composure, not to make many celebrations or derogatory comments.”
He went on to offer his thoughts on Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and how he is different than Barcelona’s Joan Laporta.
“Florentino Perez is a very affable guy up close; he comments on the plays and is, in a way, a fun person to watch the games with.
“Joan Laporta is more comfortable outside of the game. During the game, he’s more focused and withdrawn. He tends to talk more before and after the match,” he said.
Buitrago was also asked about his relationship with other clubs’ boards, including that of rival teams.
“We speak naturally. We try to make all our rivals feel comfortable and enjoy their stay when they come here, regardless of the result or how the team played.
“On match days, I try to bridge the gap. We convey our club’s philosophy. If any club wants to talk about players, we facilitate it without any problem,” he added.