Spain scoring legend David Villa thinks present day El Clasico could be a tale of two Brazilian wingers with Raphinha and Vinicius Jr likely head-to-head at the Nou Camp.
Speaking about Barcelona’s 2nd-major scorer Raphinha, Villa mentioned: ‘He is a person of Barcelona’s essential gamers now. They have generally depended on immediate wingers and he has been a great signing. I saw him a large amount at Leeds simply because I’m buddies with Rodrigo [Moreno] and Jack Harrison so I am not stunned.
‘We glance at his aims and assists but he gives so much much more. I performed on the left wing for Barcelona and I know to be a winger there you have to function quite hard to open house for other individuals.’
And on Raphinha’s compatriot Vinicius, Villa said he stated the 22-12 months-aged will only get improved. The 19-intention striker has been the significant benefactor this period of Authentic Madrid’s failure to indication Kylian Mbappe final summer.
Questioned if Vinicius was now at Mbappe’s degree, Villa said: ‘I will not like to review gamers he is a tiny little bit distinct to Mbappe even while they can the two perform in the same place on the pitch. But he has pushed on a whole lot this season. I really like the immediate style he has.
David Villa scored 48 objectives in 119 appearances for Barcelona in a 3-calendar year spell at the club
Villa hailed Brazilian ahead Raphinha who is Barca’s 2nd-best objective scorer this time
‘I believe football is gradually shedding that type of player who performs on the wing, and who appears to acquire persons on. There usually are not as lots of as there were being ahead of and Vinicius is just one of them. It can be good to observe him engage in and normally want to acquire men and women on and go for the byline or the aim.
‘And I assume independently of Mbappe not arriving previous summer months Vinicius would have pushed on this period. He’s maturing as a participant which is only organic mainly because he is actively playing consistently and he has so much capacity.’
Villa scored twice on his Clasico debut in 2010 when Pep Guardiola’s workforce defeat Jose Mourinho’s facet 5-. The activity was played pursuing a war of terms in between the two coaches.
He recalled: ‘It was unique simply because it was my first 1. It was a little something I experienced often dreamed of taking part in a game as huge as that a person. But it was special also mainly because there was nothing concerning the two sides that season and simply because of anything that was happening close to that fight between Guardiola and Mourinho.
‘It was a match that we did not know what was likely to transpire simply because the groups were so shut so envision what it felt like to score two times and for the consequence. And we ended up winning the league. It was one particular of the best days of my job and I am going to by no means ignore it.’
Villa claimed Vinicius Jr was a diverse participant to Kylian Mbappe although both are able to engage in in similar positions
Pep Guardiola (L) and Jose Mourinho (R) endured a tense rivalry running Barcelona and Genuine Madrid respectively
This year the backdrop is even additional controversial with Barcelona’s referee-chief payments scandal very likely to change he standard pre-match niceties with the presidents not getting lunch together ahead of the recreation.
Villa said: ‘I really don’t imagine the players will be affected. The force is constant at these golf equipment and you will need to be in a position to manage it. They know how to isolate themselves at the time the soccer starts off.’
Barcelona go into the activity on Sunday with a 9-position gain and only 13 video games to perform. Villa claimed: ‘Madrid can normally claw back again an edge as they have completed just before but if they will not get the match on Sunday there will be fewer time to do that and they wont have the immediate recreation.’
His former Barcelona group-mate Xavi has guided the staff to 11 1- wins so far this year – extra than any other mentor in Europe and there have been complaints from the Barca purists that they workforce have not normally thrilled.
Villa claimed he would really like to perform with Luka Modric for ‘the assists’ the Croatian would supply
Villa scored 49 plans in 98 caps for Spain and assisted them earn the 2010 Planet Cup
‘Who lifts the league is the 1 who wins the most game titles and there is more than one way to do that,’ claimed Villa. ‘I would not say all ways of profitable are justified but winning is what issues and there are different strategies to do that.’
Villa was also whole of praise for Barcelona’s younger midfielders Pedri and Gavi – who he likened to Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Villa said: ‘They [Pedri and Gavi] are two of the greatest midfielders in the world at the instant and there are similarities with Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
‘It’s legitimate that all those two set the bar very higher and we have to be affected person but the truth is that Gavi and Pedri have attained the 1st staff and the Spain 1st crew at a substantially earlier age and Xavi and Iniesta did. And they have reached the stage the place they are two of the finest midfielders in the earth aged 20 and 18 when they are still producing as gamers.
‘At their age I was still playing in the next division. It can be not quick currently being 1st alternative for Barcelona when you are just 18, 19 or 20 yrs old. That’s why we have to support Ansu Fati simply because he is continue to so youthful and he has experienced critical accidents who have afflicted even though he is so youthful.’
Villa also picked out Rodrygo Goes as a forward he would have liked taking part in alongside
Asked by Sportsmail for a participant from each facet who he who would like to have performed with for the duration of his vocation Villa picked Pedri – who remains a huge question for modern match – and a True Madrid midfielder at the other conclusion of his vocation.
Villa mentioned: ‘I would be selfish and choose somebody who is likely to give me a lot of assists. So it would be Pedri from Barcelona. He’s the most identical to Iniesta who gave me most assists. I’m positive with Pedri along with me I would have lots of superior passes, a good deal of probabilities to score plans.
‘And for a Madrid participant it would be Modric for the exact same rationale, for the helps. But Rodrygo Goes, when he performs out wide, is a participant who scores lots of ambitions but he also likes to give helps. So for egocentric motives I would decide these 3.’
The praise for Rodrygo was surprising.
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