Barcelona defender Gerard Martin said that he is more worried about Villarreal than Real Madrid. He accepted that it was good to have a lead over Los Blancos, as they had been trailing at the beginning of the season.
Gerard Martin reflects on Real Madrid's loss to Celta Vigo
Interacting with the media ahead of Barcelona's clash against Eintracht Frankfurt, Martin revealed he wanted the Real Madrid match but was not thinking about it too much. The defender said that he was more focused on their duty and not hoping for their opponents to drop points, and said:
"I watched the game, but it doesn't mean much. We were behind before, so it's always good to have a lead over Madrid. Villarreal are hot on our heels, but we're focusing on our job."
Talking about his performances this season, Martin added:
"(Hansi) Flick has given me a lot of confidence. Playing as a centre back requires focus on duels and building up from the back, but it's a position I know well. As a full-back, you have to press further forward; as a centre back, you have to focus more on duels and ball control. I feel important. The coach gives me confidence, regardless of my position on the pitch. I don't consider myself more suited to one position than another."
Barcelona hold a four-point lead over Real Madrid after 16 games this season in the league. Los Blancos were just one point behind going into the weekend, when they lost 2-0 to Celta Vigo, while the Catalan club defeated Real Betis 5-3.
Barcelona boss did not see Real Madrid's defeat vs Celta Vigo
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick was questioned in his pre-Frankfurt press conference about Real Madrid's defeat to Celta Vigo, and the German tactician side-stepped the question. The former Bayern Munich boss said hat he was asleep and is not wasting energy watching other clubs, and said:
"I didn’t see it. I was sleeping. I saw the messages. I’m focused on us; I’m not wasting energy on this. I’m focused on my team. That’s the most important thing. That’s how it is. We always focus on ourselves. We don’t look at the opponent and we don’t want to talk about it. We are focused and we know it’s a long road."
Barcelona face Osasuna next in the league, while Real Madrid will lock horns with Alaves. Both sides have UEFA Champions League action during the week, at home to Eintracht Frankfurt and Manchester City, respectively.