Levante head coach Julián Calero faced the media ahead of his team’s highly anticipated clash with Real Madrid tomorrow, making it clear that his side will not approach the game with an underdog mentality.
Confident but realistic, Calero stressed that his players will fight to give their fans a memorable performance against the league leaders.
Same roadmap as Barça, but more confidence now
Reflecting on his side’s recent defeat to Barcelona, Calero explained that his approach against Madrid would remain consistent:
“I was going to follow the same roadmap. Obviously, it’s better to win, but the roadmap was going to be the same in terms of how we approach the match. It’s true that we’re in better shape now, not only mentally, but also in terms of football. We know who we’re up against, and tomorrow we’re going into the match with a lot of desire and a strong intention to give our fans the chance to fight with everything they have to offer — above all else, a transatlantic victory.”
A link to Real Madrid’s youth system
Calero also looked back fondly on his years working with Real Madrid’s academy, where he crossed paths with several players who went on to top-level careers.
“In my time there was Nacho, Cheryshev, Marcos Alonso, Lucas Pérez, and Carvajal. I have very good memories. I was at Real Madrid for three years and I have incredible memories of Carvajal, because he was in the U19 B team and he was already very similar to what we know now. He’s one of the best full-backs in the history of Spain, and I don’t wish him anything bad tomorrow. But that was 20 years ago — now I’m with Levante, and we’re going to compete in the best way.”
Setting the pace with the ball
“People talk a lot about defending with the ball, but that’s wrong. With the ball, you set the pace of the game, and that means your opponent doesn’t have the ball. That’s where defensive automatisms come in. I’d love to have a high ball percentage against Real Madrid, but we know we’ll have a high percentage without the ball, and we’ll see how we can deal with it.”
Respect for Xabi Alonso and Vinícius
Calero was also asked about Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso’s handling of Vinícius Jr., who has recently been the subject of rotation decisions:
“Xabi has control of his squad. He has a complete idea of what’s best for his team, and he does it very well. Vinícius, like any Real Madrid player, is an extraordinary player.”
Refusing the “small team” tag
The Levante coach dismissed the notion that facing Madrid is a reward in itself:
“It’s not a reward for us to play against Real Madrid. I refuse to be the little guy playing against the big guy. No way. We’re going to compete in the First Division, which is why we’re here, and we’re going to compete at our best. We have to look them in the eye, because if we don’t, it will be very difficult.”
Madrid vs Barça — different challenges
Calero compared Real Madrid to Barcelona while noting the stylistic differences in how they attack:
“Real Madrid is quicker in turning the ball around, pressing after losing it. Mbappé’s speed is different from Lewandowski’s. They have weaknesses. We’ve assessed them and there are possibilities of hurting them, and we’re going to give it our all.”
“We’re ready to compete”
“Madrid is very demanding and will push you to the limit. The only feeling is that the team is ready to compete. The bad news is that you have Real Madrid up against you, and you can’t win based on your physical condition alone. But I have a great time analyzing opponents and figuring out how to beat them.”
