With the La Liga title race reaching its decisive stage, all eyes are now on the upcoming El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou.
The pressure surrounding the fixture could hardly be bigger, as Barcelona know that avoiding defeat would place them in complete control of the title race, while Real Madrid simply cannot afford to drop points if they want to keep their hopes alive.
Ahead of the massive encounter, Barcelona forward Ferran Torres spoke to AS about the emotions, pressure, and excitement that come with playing in one of football’s biggest matches.
Despite the importance of the occasion, the Spaniard admitted that players often feel less pressure during games like El Clasico because these are the matches they dream of playing throughout their careers.
“This kind of match is the one every player dreams of playing. It’s actually the opposite. That’s when there’s the least pressure.
“It’s fun. That’s when you most want to play, when you’re most motivated,” he said.
A decent record vs Real Madrid
Ferran already has significant experience against Madrid since joining Barcelona.
Ferran Torres is not too worried about El Clasico. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
The Spanish forward has faced Los Blancos 14 times for the Catalan side and has regularly managed to hurt their defence, registering three goals and four assists in those matches.
One of his most memorable moments came during last season’s Copa del Rey final when he scored after getting past both Antonio Rudiger and Thibaut Courtois in a decisive attacking move.
Looking back at that goal, Ferran explained that footballers barely have time to process what is happening in moments like that because instinct takes over completely.
“When the game ended, I barely even remembered the play because you don’t have time to process it.
“During the play, it was all about seeing the opening, and you don’t think about who’s in front of you or behind you – you just focus on scoring.
“When you see the ball go in… honestly, it’s an incredible feeling,” he concluded.
