LIGA MX
Álvaro Fidalgo: Chivas are not the Real Madrid of Mexico
Fidalgo doesn’t agree with Hierro’s Chivas comments.
Fernando Hierro, the sporting director at Chivas, is a respected figure in Spain. On his arrival in Mexico, he said that Chivas are the Real Madrid of Mexico. Ahead of this Saturday’s Clásico Nacional, Álvaro Fidalgo, a former Real Madrid player, said that he does not agree with Hierro.
“He (Hierro) was a captain, a historic Real Madrid player. I don’t know, I can’t... he’s the one who knows Real Madrid 100 percent. In the end, I was a canterano and I didn’t have that part of what it’s like to be in the first team. I don’t know, I don’t agree completely, because of what I experienced. Real Madrid for me is the biggest club in the history of football and if I put myself on the scale of Mexico, for me there is obviously no doubt who it is. I don’t agree with everything, but he knows Real Madrid in a much better way than I do,” Fidalgo explained.
On Saturday’s game, the América player expressed his respect for Chivas. “The truth is that what I’ve seen from them this tournament is a very dynamic team. They’ve gained a lot, especially in midfield. They are a very intense team, they press very well and that, to be honest, I think they are playing very well this tournament. It’s those two things that are with them right now, the dynamic, especially in midfield, and the intensity in the pressing they do going forward. We’re training for it, we’re preparing for the game, we’ll play our football and on Saturday we’ll see,” said the 25-year-old Spaniard.
Fidalgo was not getting carried away with América’s strong away record against Chivas since they moved stadium in 2010. “If I’m not mistaken it’s seven wins and three defeats. But it’s a Clásico and in the end, the Clásicos are always a game in which anything can happen, because there are a lot of emotions on the pitch, a very big rivalry.”
He added: “At the end of the day, it’s good that off the pitch there is no violence or problems, but on the pitch that doesn’t exist. We all defend our crest and on the pitch, everything that happens stays on the pitch. Whether there is outside or not, I hope that there is always good behaviour, that everything is calm, that you can enjoy football, that you can enjoy a rivalry as big as the one between América and Chivas. On the pitch, I hope that both teams give their all and that it is a great Clásico for the spectators and a good show for the country.”