Savio Bortolini Pimentel is enjoying life as a retired soccer player in his native Brazil, but he still keeps tabs on his old team.
Known simply as Savio during his playing days, the Brazilian plied his trade for several clubs in South America and Europe in the 1990s and early 2000s. The biggest of them all was Real Madrid, with whom he played for four seasons at the turn of the century.
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Savio still keeps tabs on his former club, and he shared his thoughts with DAZN about Saturday's massive match between Madrid and Barcelona.
Here DAZN's conversation with Savio about El Clasico:
How do you assess Real Madrid this season? The team is struggling and is fourth on the table
I think this is a normal process. Real Madrid are a big club with a lot of pressure and tradition, and winning trophies is a must every single season. We're talking about the club that won the last two Champions Leagues, two Club World Cups, the current champions of La Liga, UEFA Super Cup, so the recent past and the present of Real Madrid are amazing!
These are really difficult achievements. Therefore, it's absolutely normal to have an unstable moment in the league right now. It's very hard to keep a top level forever. All that said, Real Madrid just won the Club World Cup a few days ago. This is a huge club. The meaning of Real Madrid goes beyond football. It's a powerful club with a fantastic squad.
That's why they keep winning trophies. It is the most successful club in the world.
Which aspects have highlighted their bad run so far?
I think they faced several difficulties in the beginning of the league, especially at home where they lost two games if I'm not mistaken. Some of the players didn't perform that well, like they did last season. Some injuries as well... But, as I said, this is a normal process. It's hard to maintain the same level, specially in the demanding European football.
However, I think it's a matter of time for the club gets back to top form. It's true that Barcelona built a good advantage in the table. But there's a derby coming soon and Real Madrid must cut this difference. Everything can happen.
I think it was a similar situation last season. It will be tough because Barcelona are very solid in the league. And it's not easy to come back from an eight or 10 point gap. It's very complicated. Real Madrid must think exclusively about the league now, after winning the Club World Cup, because the Champions League comes back only next year.
Real won the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi. Does this victory help the team to get back on track with confidence?
I think it's very important. The confidence is something really important in football and you get very confident after lifting a trophy. Imagine if Real Madrid comes back from the Club World Cup, where they were the clear favourites, defeated. They would be emotionally shaken for sure. So they are confident again and some players are recovered.
They showed it in the competition, like Bale who will be very important for the sequence of the season. The recovery of these type of players, like Bale, is something really positive for Real Madrid. Overall, Real Madrid comes back very strong and confident for competing now in the Spanish league.
Who does Real have to get in the transfer market in January?
Being completely honest? None. In my point of view, the down side of this season was basically selling Morata [to Chelsea]. I didn't like it. Morata is a great player, a very talented youngster. He was crucial for Madrid last season, coming as a substitute and scoring many important goals. In the current season, Benzema has been facing some difficulties, alternating good and bad performances. So Morata could have been important again now.
However, for a club like Real Madrid, with that squad, the current winner of the Champions League and the Club World Cup, I don't think they need to sign anyone in the winter. The current squad is capable of playing top level football in the second half of the season. Then, when the season is over they can evaluate things.
But at this moment, I wouldn't invest in anyone. It's more than enough what they've got.
You played until when you were 36 years old. Cristiano Ronaldo is 32 years old, how should he change his style of play to adapt as aging? How did you change or keep your fit?
This is a normal process. When you reach 30 years old, your body begins to send you messages, let's put it this way. But Cristiano Ronaldo should be less affected because of his professionalism. I think he's already changing some aspects of his football.
In some matches, Zidane can give him a rest. He's been playing more in the centre in some matches as well. It's hard to maintain that aggressive football that he's showed in Manchester United and Madrid. It's normal that you will need to adapt. It's due to your body and shows maturity and experience, too. He's been doing some changes in his game because he's very intelligent.
He's not only very professional off the pitch, he's also very smart on the pitch. He finds shorter distances, he knows when to attack and when to rest a little bit. It comes from his maturity. He will be impacted by his aging, but less than everyone else. But the age comes to all of us. It's a fact.
About Barcelona this season, how do you see Barcelona’s good run?
Well, I'm not surprised as we're talking about Barcelona. But if we look back to last season, it's a bit surprising. They had some uncertain moments, Neymar left... and not many people would gamble on Barcelona for this season. But they proved that those people were wrong.
The team is playing really well, they are solid in the league. Messi is flying as always. Other players are doing very well, too. So they are still a very strong side, top of the table in the league and doing very well in the Champions League. That's Barcelona, you know? Clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona you can never say they're not favourites.
Sergio Ramos: El Clasico a must-win for Madrid
Before the season, there were concerns that Barcelona's attack would suffer after Neymar left. How do you assess it?
When you lose one of the best players in the world like Neymar, you will suffer. It's normal. He's a decisive player. But we're talking about Barcelona. A club full of decisive and talented players. And they have a player called Messi, who's been decisive for so many years in a row.
When you've got players like Messi, Suarez, Iniesta, you won't suffer that much. They miss a top player, but they are still an incredible side. In my opinion, Barcelona are tactically better this season than the last one. The manager was clever to build the tactics of the team. Obviously it was bad news to lose a player such Neymar. But the coach managed to find a balance and build a solid team tactically.
Furthermore, when you have Messi on your side, it's very hard for your opponents to mark such a player. It's difficult to try and find a defensive system against Barcelona because Messi can decide the game in a few minutes. Just like he's been doing again this season, especially in the league.
What does El Clasico mean for Real Madrid and Barcelona players?
Mate, it's huge. Even before I signed for Real Madrid, I used to follow them. At that time, we couldn't watch as many Spanish games as nowadays. We could only watch a few games of a few European leagues. But I already knew how big rivalry it is.
When I got there, I realized it is something completely different from everything I had seen and lived in football. I've been involved in some big derbies in Brazil and abroad. But Real Madrid vs. Barcelona is a derby that stops not only Spain but the whole world.
What is your prediction for this Saturday?
Well, Real Madrid have been facing some difficulties against Barcelona in the recent years, especially at home. I think they've been playing better away from home. However, because of the confidence gained with the Club World Cup title and also the necessity to overcome the current situation in the table... We are talking about a gap of 11 points! If it's a draw it would maintain that difference and a defeat would represent a gap of 14 points.
If that happens, I think it would be really difficult for Real Madrid. And we're mentioning 14 points for Barcelona, but Real Madrid are forth in the table. So there're also Valencia and Atletico Madrid. Therefore, the moment for Madrid come back to the fight is right now! I believe Real Madrid will win because of these two reasons: They really need to win and they are confident after the club world title.
So I predict 2-1 to Real Madrid. I will say Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos score for Madrid. And Messi for Barcelona.
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