Real Madrid’s head coach Santiago Solari prepares his team ahead of a tough week against greatest rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. The Madrid side will first travel to Barcelona’ Camp Nou on Wednesday for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi final before a La Liga match with city rivals, Atletico Madrid, on Saturday.
However, Solari is a confident man having led Real Madrid to register five consecutive wins after a convincing 3-0 win on Sunday against Deportivo Alaves. Solari is hopeful his team will continue the winning streak.
“We are going to fight for everything, always, right until the end, hopefully, of the season,” Solari told a press conference after the Alaves game. “That would mean we have reached both [Copa and Champions League] finals. Today I saw hunger to make up points [on Barca]. Madrid never gives up, we always go out to win, regardless of the mathematics.”
While responding to the injury news regarding their rivals talisman, Lionel Messi, Solari said the uncertainty wasn’t affecting his team’s preparations.
“It’s always good to have the best players playing in every match,” he said. “Whether he plays or not, it’s not going to influence how we prepare for the game.”
Real is expected to keep an eye on the league — in which they are currently third, eight points below Barcelona. Madrid derby against second-placed Atletico at the weekend will also play a crucial part in Solari’s selection.
The two sides will face each other three times within a month, the two Copa del Rey legs and a La Liga match. Clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona are usually thrilling and Wednesday’s match is not an exception as Real’s fans hope to revenge the 5-1 loss earlier in the season. They appear a team transformed since the heavy defeat in October.