Jose Luis Mendilibar: “When Real Madrid start playing the ball fast, they do it quicker than Barcelona.”

Eibar manager Jose Luis Mendilibar, who has now faced both Real Madrid and Barcelona this season (a loss against Real, and a draw against Barca), reflected on the differences between facing Zinedine Zidane and Ronald Koeman’s sides.

Mendilibar had a high praise for Real Madrid’s tactics and execution, all in an interview with El Larguero.

“Especially in the first 20 or 25 minutes [of the game against us], Real Madrid circulated the ball at a speed that we could not even see it,” Mendilibar said.

“They scored two goals and they could’ve scored some more.

“Then we were able to steal more balls in the final third.

“When Real Madrid start playing the ball fast, they do it quicker than Barcelona.”

Mind you, this interview happened before Real Madrid dropped two points away to Elche, but Mendilibar felt Zidane’s team will only get better.

“I think that Atletico are playing quite at the limit and that Real Madrid are there with them without being in top form,” Mendilibar continued.

“We saw that last month, when they were behind and they were bad in the Champions League.

“It turns out that they have to beat Sevilla and they beat them; they have to beat Borussia Monchengladbach and they win; they have to beat Atletico and they also win.

“These 14, 15, 16 players [Zinedine] Zidane is using are very good.”