Carreras, Courtois excited ahead of Real Madrid vs Barcelona – ‘A game every kid dreams of playing’ | OneFootball

The biggest match of the La Liga calendar comes our way on Sunday as Real Madrid host FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first El Clasico of the season.

It will be a huge game with major repercussions on the La Liga title race, considering that the two teams are only separated by two points at this stage, with Real Madrid sitting ahead of Barça.

As the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham already remarked, it will be a special match – a sentiment echoed by Alvaro Carreras, who will be making his El Clasico debut.

Carreras excited for Real Madrid vs Barcelona

Speaking to the club media, the left-back, who joined Real Madrid in the summer from Benfica, expressed his excitement ahead of his first El Clasico.

“El Clasico is a game every kid dreams of playing in. At home, it’s always a very exciting and important match for everyone,” said Carreras.

“We’re really looking forward to it. We’re already thinking about Sunday’s game, a great match at home with our fans. We know it’s going to be tough, but very important.”

The 22-year-old youngster, who spent time at Real Madrid’s academy in the past, opened up on his first-ever visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, saying:

“It was an end-of-year field trip when I was at my high school in Galicia, before coming to Madrid that summer. I hadn’t said anything at school.

“I have very fond memories of my first time at the Bernabeu. I look back on it fondly, and thank God, I fulfilled my dream of being here every day.”

On the importance of the fans at the stadium heading into tomorrow’s clash, Carreras noted: “We all have to be together. We really felt your support, and we’ll all be there together to get the win.”

Courtois ready for the challenge

Thibaut Courtois ready for El Clasico. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, unlike Carreras, Thibaut Courtois is a veteran of the Clasicos, having been at Real Madrid for over seven years now. And, the Belgian veteran insists that the team is ready for the big challenge.

“The team is in good shape. We need to recover well and rest to be at our best, but I think we’re in good shape and are approaching it as an important match,” said Courtois.

On being asked to name his best memory against the Barcelona, the goalkeeper replied:

“There have been several important wins. One of the first was just before COVID, here at home, and it helped us stay on top, and after being at home, we won the league here. There have been several great matches with good memories.”

On whether if he had any advice for Carreras, playing his first El Clasico, Courtois said: “It’s a very exciting match to play. He has to play it naturally, like he knows how, and play it well. You have to enjoy it, that’s the most important thing.”

Finally, the Belgian international underlined the importance of the fans and their support in such a monumental encounter, saying:

“It’s very important, especially when you’re playing at home, with a great atmosphere. They can push us, and when we’re doing well, putting pressure on the opponent, they help even more. It feels like an avalanche.

“At the Bernabeu, you can feel the crowd very close to the pitch, and that helps. Even in difficult moments, they support us; they stay behind the team, and it also helps us defend together.”

“In the end, the stadium has to be a cauldron, and that’s very important,” concluded Courtois.