Sergi Barjuan, former FC Barcelona player and coach / Dani Barbeito
Jordi Carné
The Desafío NACEX brought together legends of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid ahead of the historic Clásico set to take place this Sunday at the Spotify Camp Nou. The Blaugrana club has the chance to clinch the La Liga title for the first time in front of their eternal rivals, and several ex-players from both sides who attended the charity padel tournament analyzed the match and weighed in on current issues such as Robert Lewandowski’s future and the crisis on the Real Madrid bench.
Jonathan Soriano, Luis Milla, and Sergi Barjuan spoke to the media at the Aurial Vila in Viladecavalls.
**Jonathan Soriano: “Lewandowski is still useful”**
The former Barça striker did not hide his excitement at the possibility of Hansi Flick’s side being crowned champions this Sunday against Madrid. “A Clásico is always beautiful, though it’s true they come in different situations. The feeling is that Barça seems one step ahead,” Soriano began, acknowledging that the scenario unfolding this weekend at the Spotify Camp Nou is unprecedented. “I’m young, I don’t have that much memory, but I think it’s never happened before—beating Madrid for the league in your own stadium. The chance to do it is something historic.”
Asked about the internal situation in the Real Madrid dressing room, Soriano pointed to unity as the key difference between the two teams. “When there are disagreements in a dressing room, it becomes more complicated. Ultimately, what I think this Barça has is that united dressing room, that when things aren’t going so well, there’s a coach and players all moving in the same direction—and maybe that’s where the difference between this Madrid and Barça begins,” he stated.
The former striker also commented on Robert Lewandowski’s future, whose continuity at the club remains uncertain. “We have to appreciate the effort Lewandowski made and all the work he’s done. We know the economic situation at Barça—it’s improved a lot—but in the end, Lewandowski also has to adapt a bit to the situation. I still think he remains useful at least to be part of the squad,” Soriano said.
**Luis Milla: “Real Madrid’s problem is a matter of the collective”**
The former Madrid midfielder was more cautious, warning that Clásicos have their own rules and Madrid would not come to the Spotify Camp Nou with a white flag. “In these types of matches, things change—they are different games. There may be a poor trend, but in the end it’s a special match for everyone. Barcelona is focused, has a good mentality, but Madrid will likely want to play a good game,” he said.
Milla also reflected on the structural problems of the white club. “It’s a matter of the collective. When things don’t go well, when you plan from the start and the team hasn’t been able to do things right, it’s down to the coach, the player, the planning, the people at the top,” he analyzed. He had words of praise for Flick: “I love his way of working. He has the commitment of all the players, something that wasn’t easy to achieve.”
**Sergi Barjuan: “The league is won over the whole season”**
The former Barça full-back and coach was the most emphatic of the three in explaining the difference between the two sides. For Barjuan, the key lies not in individual players but in the collective. “Player for player, the quality of both teams is probably more or less similar. There are some lines where maybe Barça has better players, but there’s one thing Madrid doesn’t have: a team. That shows a lot, especially over the long run, and in the end it’s the reward of collective performance,” he stated firmly.
