Web Clubs

Where to watch LALIGA

LALIGA
INSTITUTIONAL

LALIGA WITH
SPORT

LALIGA
GROUP

highlight_image

BAR

Matchday 28

2

1

RMA

bg-up
bg-down

Interviews

VIE 20.03.2015 | Interviews

Pichi Alonso: "I don't think whoever wins the Clásico will wrap up the title"

The ex-azulgrana player speaks with LFP.es to assess the upcoming clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid as well as talk about his own memories of these games.

Interviews

VIE 20.03.2015

Ángel Alonso Herrera, 'Pichi' (Benicarló, Castellón, 1954) played for the Catalan giants for four seasons, between 1982 and 1986, sharing the same dressing room as Diego Armando Maradona, the team-mate who most caught his attention. The retired footballer also looks ahead to this weekend's Clásico and assesses each team's current form.

LFP.es: What memories do you have of the Clásicos you played in?

Pichi: I remember the Clásico from the first game of the 84-85 La Liga season, when we won 0-3 in the Santiago Bernabéu. That was a difficult time for Barcelona because, although we won the title that year, the club had gone on an 11-year streak without winning the league. That would be unthinkable nowadays.

LFP.es: What is your fondest story from a Clásico?

Pichi: Well right after that very match against Real Madrid there was a two-week La Liga strike. Our president back then, José Luis Nuñez, met up with everyone and told us not to take part in the protest because it had been organised by Real Madrid on the back of them losing that game to us.

"Maradona is the team-mate who most impressed me. He was spectacular"

LFP.es: Which of your team-mates most surprised when you signed for Barcelona in the 82-83 season?

Pichi: Maradona, without a doubt. He joined the same year as me and we played together for two seasons. When training was over, he would place the ball outside the penalty area and say: "Do you see that stain on the crossbar? Well, that’s where I'm going to hit". I won’t say he hit it every time, but he very often did. He was spectacular.

LFP.es: What is the atmosphere in the dressing room like in the minutes leading up to a match like this?

Pichi: It is a special match so the levels of tension and adrenaline are much greater. For example, back in my time, as Barcelona were not going through such a good time, beating the eternal rival was considered by fans as a way of rectifying the season.

LFP.es: How would you describe the moment both teams walk onto the pitch?

Pichi: What catches my attention is the mood, which you can notice even by the way the players are running. Barcelona look more confident to me at the moment. In any case, whether a team comes in with the status as favourites or is better positioned in the table is not necessarily a determining factor for a game like this.


"I think it will be a high-scoring match. I'll go with 3-2"

LFP.es: In what aspects do you think Barcelona are better than Real Madrid?

Pichi: The way they use the ball. Barca have had a well defined playing style for many years now and the intention to always keep possession of the ball is now part of their DNA.

LFP.es: And how are Real Madrid better than Barcelona?

Pichi: Their quick transitions both in attack and defence. Above all else with their counter-attacking play, although it has to be said that Barcelona have improved in this aspect this year. Another facet of play in which Madrid are also probably superior is in terms of aerial play, but that is something Luis Enrique has also been improving on this season.

LFP.es: If you had to choice a spine of a team using both squads, which players would you pick?

Pichi: I'd pick Iker Casillas in goals, Sergio Ramos in defence. Then I'd selected Andrés Iniesta in the centre of the park and Leo Messi up front.

LFP.es: A prediction?

Pichi: I expect there'll be goals. Real Madrid have been playing well in the Camp Nou over the past few years, but I think they’ll need a bit more this season. I'll go with 3-2.

LFP.es: Will the winning team go on to claim the Liga BBVA crown?

Pichi: I'm not going to say that whoever wins the Clásico will wrap up the Liga BBVA title. Whoever wins will certainly take a giant step towards it. We saw last year that if you don’t win the rest of your games towards the end of the season, winning the Clásico means nothing. On top of that, having won the first meeting, Madrid hold the better goal average.

© LALIGA - 2015