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Montes: “We must approach it motivated”
The defender knows that mentality is key for the trip to Real Madrid
César Montes has been a vital part of the RCD Espanyol squad since his arrival in January. The defender’s impressive adaptation to LaLiga alongside his warrior mentality has been crucial in the rise up the table, as the team pushes on for more ahead of Saturday’s trip to Real Madrid.
Speaking in the pre-match press conference on Thursday, Montes said, “I am gaining confidence to be a leader on the pitch. On an individual level, I have many aspects to improve. I try to do my best for the benefit of the team, I always work with humility and wanting to improve for the good of the group”.
Espanyol go to the Spanish capital to take on Real Madrid, without a win in three and with an important Champions League second leg against Liverpool just days later. Nevertheless, they remain reigning champions Real Madrid, far from a simple challenge for Diego Martínez’s men.
“They are an opponent high in the table and with a great squad”, the defender said of Madrid. “We are focused on ourselves and our own aims, which are to work hard and get a positive result at their ground. It is a very motivating match, and we must approach it motivated and focused”.
Montes continued, “It will be difficult, but with humility and hard work, we will try to get the three points and make it hard for them. We have shown what we can do and we want to keep going on this path that we are on”.
As the LaLiga table remains tight and with little to separate the teams around Espanyol, the Mexican man insisted that he focuses on the bigger picture. Montes concluded, “I do not look at the table. It is a very competitive league; you win a few games and you are much higher, you lose and you can see yourself in the relegation zone”.