Racing Santander manager José Alberto López has vowed his side won't abandon their usual style when they host Real Madrid on Sunday at El Sardinero. Courage and balance, he says, will be key if they're to spring a surprise on the Royal Club.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Racing coach warned that Real Madrid carry such attacking potential they don't even need to hit top form to win. "Real Madrid do not need a big game to beat you," he said. "They look first for the goals and then for the match."
López also cautioned against pinning Madrid's threat on French star Kylian Mbappé alone, insisting the squad is packed with exceptional individual talent.
"It is not just about Mbappé, every player in the team is a genius, and all of them can get the better of you thanks to their individual quality and immense talent, as they can throw you off balance with any movement," he said.
Difficult as the test will be, the coach stressed his commitment to the identity that has carried Racing this far, while steering clear of needless risk. "We will try to maintain our style, and I believe that will bring us closer to winning, but courage does not mean recklessness, and we must be balanced, because they will force us to give the very best we have," he said.
The fixture carries special weight for Racing. It arrives after nearly 15 years without a meeting with Real Madrid, a match the club has waited a long time for, and one that followed a difficult road to reach.
"We have been looking for matches like this for a long time, the club has been through a difficult journey on pitches such as yesterday's, and now we go into this encounter with calm," López added. "Facing these teams is not easy, every match is hugely important for them. For us, it is hard to lose on any given day, but for them a draw is like a defeat, because it could mean losing the league."
López reserved praise for Real Madrid and their manager José Mourinho, reckoning the Royal Club are in their finest spell of the season. In return, he's counting on home advantage and the crowd to drag his side into the fight.
"On our pitch, with our fans, we feel immense strength," he said, predicting the stands of El Sardinero would turn into something like a "pressure cooker" and heap pressure on Real Madrid's players throughout.
López signed off with a message that summed up his side's mindset. "We have nothing to lose," he said.