Markel Bergara: “Silva is a True Legend”

Markel Bergara (Elgoibar, 1986) knows what it is to beat Madrid and play with David Silva, so now he will go to Anoeta doubly excited

Tribute to David Silva to come. What does it mean for Real to have a legend of that caliber in the team?

Well, a player with his status, many offers (as he has David) and possibly more salary if he wants to go to Real, speaks highly of the club, which is in a good sporting situation where he wants to go. David He also knew the place and liked it, so it attracted him too. At Real, I can say that we are very grateful that a player of that caliber came to our club. Furthermore, he performed at a very high level and his experience and quality were very useful for the team last season.

He has been with Silva in the Spanish youth team. Did you see that he would become one of the best in the world?

When I played with him, he was the best on the team, no doubt. Yes, it’s true that we were young and our only goal was simply to play football and play in the First Division, but the goals he achieved are unimaginable, I believe none of his teammates would have thought to do he. reach that level.

What do you think of the award?

More than it should be, in the end we are talking about an emblematic player in the whole world, a legend but not only in Real but in the whole planet. In this case, during the years he was at Real he gave a very high performance and this tribute is more than deserved, and I am there to applaud him.

Do you think there are players who deserve it more?

Well, ultimately that’s the club’s decision, and I’m sure there will be all sorts of opinions, but from my point of view David Silva clearly deserves it.

-How do you remember yours?

I feel very grateful, first of all to our president since he decided to thank me for what I did for the club and the truth is that it was a beautiful, wonderful day. Ever since you were a kid you wanted to play for Real and if in the end when you retire you manage to have the club thank you for your career and the effort you made for this club, there’s nothing left but to say thank you, what a great day then. At first you were a bit nervous, you got cold there and you didn’t know how you would react, but the truth is I enjoyed the day, we also won the game, the people were very happy… . I have wonderful memories and only words thank you.

Do you think it’s a good time to face Real Madrid?

I would say yes, in the end after the Clásico they are more in control of the Liga, they almost won and they have an important match on Tuesday, so they probably don’t realize that they are thinking about Tuesday. Yes, it’s true that Real Madrid has a squad that even those who are not completely regular players have a very high level and the team that comes out will be very complex and they can beat you, but I believe that the calm situation if where Madrid is now because it can benefit us, but it won’t be easy. I think Madrid will make changes, not completely but I think they will make some rotations. Yes, it is true that the prototype player of Real Madrid is trained and ready to play every three days, but I think, thinking about Tuesday’s game, they will make some changes.

Remembering the 4-2 victory over Madrid when you played for Real, coming back from 0-2 down, makes you want to believe. What is the secret to defeating them?

Playing against Madrid is always very complicated. I’ve had matches of all kinds; where they hurt us, the others seemed to be better, they reached their place well, but suddenly there are two sparks, they score two goals and you go home as if nothing happened. In Madrid, unlike in Barcelona, ​​their approach is more difficult to read. With Barça, you can draw them more or less, you know they will have control of the game and you will look for alternatives, but you will script the game in some way. Against Madrid it is very difficult to do it right, I have played against them a lot and very rarely we manage to beat them, they are a team with huge potential that in a short time they can solve a match.

?Will we be high in Donostia when Real host Madrid?

It’s normal, it’s Real Madrid. We’ve seen them all since we were little in the European championships, and well, it’s always nice to play against these types of teams, to see those players playing against you. Personally, as a player, I want to play against them and of course, the fans also want to see the players against them and beat them. These are difficult challenges but ones that fans like, naturally. The players, even though we approach all games the same way, unconsciously I think we have a little more motivation in these games. For example, derbies are always special, and the matches against Madrid and Barça also have their additional point of motivation, which should be recognized.

-What do you think of Real’s season? Did the Copa elimination hurt you?

For me the season has been very good, we have to be aware that now we are in European positions, fighting to be in Europe next year, so I think we are doing a very good job. In the Cup we were also close, it’s true that leaving the Cup hurt us all because we deserved to pass and it was a bit disappointing, but I think the season was very good. I think they are used to us so sometimes they become too demanding

–What do you think is missing from the team currently? What position would you strengthen?

I think Real have a very good squad, very compensated in all positions. From my humbleness, I think that the club will already have all its ideas very clearly, and to me personally from the outside it seems that it has a very balanced team with a lot of competition in all the position.

–Maybe the 9 position?

I think Sadiq and Andrew Silva They are top-level players and have recently proved it. Yes, it’s true that this isn’t the year of either in terms of numbers and it’s a shame, because both have enormous potential. I still think they are two top-level forwards, which for one reason or another didn’t work for them but we all have bad years and it’s normal.