The player of Barça Femení Aitana Bonmatí ensures that in the blaugrana locker room, there is «never» talk of a defeat before a match, and it is not done now that they play a new Clásico against Real Madrid on Sunday, in the 23rd round of the F League at Montjuïc. She considers that there is still time ahead until a hypothetical victory for Real Madrid in direct duels with 18 ‘culers’ triumphs in both matches.
«No, we never talk about a defeat. Never, never. The truth is that these things are not discussed, and I believe there is no need to be pessimistic before it happens. I think there is still time for this (losing against Madrid). I hope I am not mistaken, but I trust in this team and in the mentality with which we play these matches,» she said in response to Europa Press during the Media Day organized by the blaugrana club.
Regarding the 18 out of 18 in Clásicos, Aitana explains it by the things done well by Barça Femení, not by the paralysis of the whites. «If we have won 18 out of 18 matches against them, it means that we have done something right and that they are not as weak a rival as they say. It is a team that has beaten Arsenal, that won in the past against City in a ‘Champions’ tie, that drew against Chelsea and were eliminated by the minimum against Chelsea,» she recalled.
«We are the first ones, or I am, to value the English League for how they are doing, but at the team level, we see how Madrid is on par. Therefore, I would like to value our work, our victories, and how we do it to win so many times and often with quite different results,» she explained in this regard.
In the event of a new blaugrana victory, Barça would be 10 points ahead of Real Madrid, but even if this happens, Aitana does not want to talk about sentencing the F League. «Mathematically today we cannot say that the League is sentenced, but it is true that we have a considerable advantage, and if we were to lose it, it would be a great failure on our part. I think it all depends on us, that we have it in good hands, and obviously, if we win, we are close, so it is an added incentive to win this match. Besides, it is a Clásico, and we want to achieve the 19th victory,» she reiterated.
Asked about her good connection with the Norwegian Caroline Graham Hansen, she assured that there is a ‘feeling’ on and off the field. «I get along very well with Caro, both on and off the field. She is a great player, and we have been playing together on the right flank for years. I believe we have a connection that has been forged over the years because we know very well how each other plays and what to do to make the other shine more. I think we complement each other very well, and I believe other teams are seeing it because they cover us more each year,» she pointed out.
Regarding whether she grows more in big matches, Aitana assured that it is not only about a player when they score or assist. «I think we value a player’s performance a lot based on whether she scores goals or assists, but we never value the overall performance on what she brings to the team, whether she is good offensively, makes runs, helps other teammates to be more alone,» she stated.
«In the F League, we find ourselves in very different match contexts than in Europe, where there are many low blocks, especially this year. This prevents there from being more space between lines, so we probably score more goals by crossing and shooting, right? Many crosses to the box. Where the quality of the team and the players is truly seen is in the big matches,» she explained.
Perhaps that is why she asserts that she does not like it when it is said that there is a drop in performance in the F League. «I do not like it when it is said that I do not stand out, surely I contribute other things in a completely different context of matches, but I would like to value the big matches, where the level of the players is truly seen,» reiterated the best player in the world.
FUENTE