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As Real Madrid prepare to face Espanyol in a crucial La Liga clash, former goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has offered a detailed and honest view on the situation surrounding both clubs.
Having represented both sides during his career, his insight carries added weight, especially at a time when Madrid are looking to restore pride after falling behind Barcelona in the title race.
Casilla believes both teams head into the game under pressure, albeit for very different reasons.
When asked who needs the win more, he simply said, “Both.”
He added, “I know that can’t be true, but Espanyol need it to avoid making their fight for survival even tougher after a dreadful run, and Madrid need it to redeem themselves after the last month and regain some self-esteem and confidence.”
Looking beyond this fixture, the former shot-stopper also touched on the bigger picture for Real Madrid, particularly their chances in a high-profile encounter against Barcelona.
“Real Madrid’s pride has been wounded; they’ll be going for the win at the Camp Nou, and Barcelona’s high defensive line could work in their favour.”
A dreadful season
Furthermore, Casilla did not shy away from addressing what has gone wrong at Real Madrid this season.
He pointed towards a combination of issues rather than a single cause.
“No one expected anything like this, but a lot of things have come together. The injury crisis has been a disaster that’s really taken its toll at key moments.
“There’s been a change of manager, the squad depth wasn’t great, and they’ve been unlucky in some matches too.
“It’s all added up to a bad year. Consistency has been lacking, and in La Liga, that really costs you.”
Arbeloa vs Alonso
Casilla does not think Arbeloa has improved over Alonso. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
The discussion also moved to the managerial situation, where Alvaro Arbeloa has not yet managed to fully convince.
Casilla’s view was clear when comparing him to Xabi Alonso. “If we look at the objective data and the results, clearly not.
“There were flashes of promise, like against City, but we haven’t seen a sustained improvement, which is what was hoped for when Xabi was replaced.”
Courtois vs Casillas
Another key factor has been the absence of Thibaut Courtois. Casilla highlighted how difficult it is to replace such a presence.
“When you don’t have the best goalkeeper in the world, it’s bound to show, although Lunin is a great goalkeeper and has done quite well.”
When it came to comparing goalkeeping legends, Casilla gave a personal answer, favouring Iker Casillas while still recognising Courtois’ current level.
“That is a difficult one to answer, but I’m going to say Iker. He was always a role model for me, and I’ve seen him do some incredible things.
“Without wanting to be diplomatic, for me the best in the world for the last few years has been Courtois and the best of all time is Casillas.”
On Vinicius and Mbappe
Finally, he addressed one of the biggest talking points – whether Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe can truly coexist in the same system.
“I’ve often heard that they perform better separately, but I think there’s room for both because they’re both phenomenal.
“It’s true that when they play together, the team loses some defensivediscipline and we have to ask them to make more sacrifices in that area,” he concluded.
Source: AS
