Álvaro Arbeloa has claimed Real Madrid will not be taking Barcelona lightly when they face them today in ‘El Clásico’, even though the fellow Spanish giants have drawn their last two matches.
He said: “We can’t look at their recent draws (against Osasuna and AC Milan) as a guide. They already have a three-point lead [in the La Liga title race].”
Arbeloa is confident Los Blancos can get a result this weekend, saying Madrid are in a good place after notching back to back victories against Málaga and Juventus this week: “The match against Barcelona comes at a good time for us. We are improving and gaining confidence, so we’ll see if we can win,” he told reporters.
However, he is well aware going to Barcelona will never be easy, even though Real’s recent record at the Nou Camp is extremely impressive. He commented: “In recent matches in the Camp Nou we’ve got good results and put in some great performances.” – since 2012 Los Blancos have lost just one of the five Clásicos they have played there.
“We know it will be a very difficult match. I’m sure that Barcelona will be at their best because they always play well against us.
A victory tomorrow for Carlo Ancelotti’s Real would see them join Barcelona at the head of the La Liga table for the first time since the 13th of September.”
