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Setien: "I don’t trust the bad moment of Real Madrid, for them it is a vital game"

Video Credit: Reuters - Sports - Duration: 00:59s - Published
Setien: 'I don’t trust the bad moment of Real Madrid, for them it is a vital game'Setien says Clasico is a vital gane for Real Madrid

SHOWS: BARCELONA, SPAIN (FEBRUARY 29, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FC BARCELONA COACH, QUIQUE SETIEN, SAYING: "The truth is that I don't trust in the dynamics.

In matches like these, you forget the past and what is the most important is the present." 2.

WHITE FLASH 3.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FC BARCELONA COACH, QUIQUE SETIEN, SAYING: "I expect a disputed match, a match with alternatives and an equal match." 4.

WHITE FLASH 5.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FC BARCELONA COACH, QUIQUE SETIEN, SAYING: "Madrid is a team that we need to be very aware of.

It's a great team and even though now we can think that it is not at its best, but I don't trust this.

The truth is that they are going to make it complicated for us and we will have to be prepared for when we won't have the ball." 6.

WHITE FLASH 7.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FC BARCELONA COACH, QUIQUE SETIEN, SAYING: "For Madrid this is a key and decisive game.

Maybe decisive is not the right word, but very important because if they win, they gain five points, but I don't believe in any of this." STORY: FC Barcelona coach Quique Setien told reporters on Saturday (February 29) that he did not trust that their rivals Real Madrid are going though a bad time and that Sunday's (March 1) 'Clasico' game will be challenging.

"I don't trust these dynamics and in these kind of games the past has no significance," he told reporters are the press conference ahead of tomorrow's game.

Setien also announced that Jordi Alba will be playing in tomorrow's game, but still has to decide whether to let him play from the start.

Sunday's 'Clasico' between Real Madrid and Barcelona may have huge ramifications on La Liga's title race but poor showings in the Champions League mean the fixture is lacking its usual billing as a battle between the two best teams in the world.

Real Madrid lost 2-1 at home to Manchester City in their last-16 first leg while Barcelona drew 1-1 at Napoli, a result which masked a shaky performance and seemed to confirm Lionel Messi's fears that they are not good enough to win the trophy.

Champions Barca take a two-point lead into the clash at the Santiago Bernabeu after cashing in on a wobble from Zinedine Zidane's side, who drew 2-2 with Celta Vigo and lost to Levante in their last two league fixtures.

Both sides head into the game with their own selection issues, with Madrid light on forwards due to the absence of Marco Asensio, Eden Hazard and Rodrygo.

Barca, meanwhile, need to fill holes all over the pitch, with Sergi Roberto, Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez all injured and Gerard Pique facing a battle to be fit.

Yet even with their many problems, Barca seem to have slightly more momentum heading into Sunday's game at the Bernabeu, where they have won on their last four league visits.

(Production: May Ponzo, Ernest Merino)




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