New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS): Real Madrid have historically been known to defy all odds in their hunt for glory. The 15-time Champions League winners have not had the best starts to the season but former Real striker Joselu has some strong words for the club’s doubters.
“At the moment, they have already won one, the European Super Cup. The problem is that people don’t realize that there are only four league games played, and some already think Madrid is dead. A mistake. That’s where the problems come later because if you spit in the sky, it falls back on your face. Madrid is going to be fighting for the six titles that remain," said Joselu to Spanish newspaper AS.
Real Madrid have played four games in the new La Liga season with two wins and two draws to their name. They currently sit second in the points table, four points behind their biggest rivals FC Barcelona who have won all four of their games to begin with.
Joselu became a mainstay in the Madrid team upon the departure of Karim Benzema at the start of the 2023/24 season and went on to score two late goals against Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the UCL to drag the Los Blancos into the final, where they defeated Borussia Dortmund.
"I remember those who, when Benzema left, said that Madrid was not going to win anything. And we only lost two games all season," he recalled. "Real Madrid will compete for everything and will be fighting for all the titles, nobody should doubt that," said the Euro winner.
Real Madrid wanted to extend Joselu’s time at the club but the striker chose to join Qatari club Al-Gharafa due to the arrival of Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman has taken the starting spot in the Madrid frontline and would have limited Joselu’s playing time in the team. The Spanish striker went on to compare Mbappe to a ‘bottle of ketchup.’
“Mbappe is like a bottle of ketchup. At first, you press it and it doesn’t come out, but then it all comes out at once. He has already scored two goals against Betis and he will continue to score. He will make history at Madrid, he and all those around him,” he concluded.