Celta Vigo manager Claudio Giraldez has shared his thoughts ahead of his side’s upcoming clash with Real Madrid, insisting the visitors remain the favourites despite their recent struggles.

Madrid arrive at Balaidos after suffering two consecutive defeats, something that rarely happens to a club of their stature. 

However, Giraldez believes that such results could actually make the team more dangerous as they look to respond strongly.

Speaking during a press conference before the match, the Celta Vigo coach made it clear that he still views Madrid as one of the strongest teams in the competition.

“I’d swap places with them. I’d like to be second in La Liga and in the Champions League round of 16. 

“They’re at a point in the season where they are going to fight for the two most important titles that teams in the Spanish league can compete for,” he said.

Managerial shift at Real Madrid

Giraldez also spoke about the recent managerial change at Madrid, where Alvaro Arbeloa has taken charge of the first team. 

The Celta boss explained that the new coach will need time to fully implement his ideas and allow the squad to adapt.

According to him, the team already looks different compared to the previous era under Xabi Alonso.

“They are coming off two defeats, which is not normal for a team like Real Madrid or Barça, and that makes them even more dangerous. 

“We know that if one day they could lose their way,” although “right now it’s not going to happen because this run of results is unusual,” he warned.

Even with the recent setbacks, Giraldez still considers Madrid one of the strongest sides in Europe and believes they are usually favourites in most matches they play.

“They are always the favourites. They are a step above the rest,” said Giraldez.

“It also seemed impossible that we could win at the Bernabeu, and we did it. It’s never easy to compete against Real Madrid. 

“To get a favourable result against them, you have to be perfect and have that bit of luck that Getafe had the other day or that we had at the Bernabeu,” he added.

Real Madrid’s depth

The Celta manager also addressed Madrid’s squad depth, explaining that a club with such resources rarely depends on individual players. 

However, he did single out one star who he believes is truly unique. Speaking about Kylian Mbappe’s absence, Giraldez highlighted the impact the forward can have when available.

“They’ll play with Gonzalo, Brahim or Vinicius up front, players with other resources, with other ways of hurting you. 

“Probably when Mbappe is there, they attack less from the centre; with Gonzalo, they’ll do it more, and we have to defend differently in that regard. 

“Gonzalo is probably more of a defender on the front line than Mbappe, and we have to be able to overcome that initial pressure,” he said.

Giraldez also shared an interesting observation regarding the atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu, suggesting that the pressure created by high expectations can sometimes affect players.

“There is an aspect of Real Madrid’s game that makes them very dangerous when they play away from home because they are one of the best teams in the world at exploiting space. 

“And then there’s the fact that, perhaps, their opponents close them down less when they play at home. 

“It’s also understandable that they have a lot of very young players who have just arrived at Real Madrid, and just as it’s difficult for their opponents to play at the Bernabéu, it can also be difficult for them,” he said.

Source: Mundo Deportivo