Mendilibar: "We'll try to compete and go out there at the Bernabéu just as we do at other grounds, whilst being aware they're capable of doing more damage than other teams"

Ahead of Sunday's trip to the Santiago Bernabéu, José Luis Mendilibar has a full squad available to him, apart from the injured Alejandro Gálvez, who is sidelined with a ruptured muscle fibre in his right adductor.

Today's lunchtime press conference got underway with Mendilibar being asked about something that has been doing the rounds on social media over the past week relating to the team's yellow strip, to which he replied, "I believe that we all have our superstitions, we may all deny them, but whenever you do something and then go and win, you then look to repeat it, but I think it's more something that you guys have come up with, rather than it being an issue for them".

In reference to the team's fine recent run of results, the head coach voiced some caution ahead of Sunday's encounter, "We've competed well in our games, but we haven't come up against the like of Madrid, I don't care what sort of run they're on, they can be on poor, fine or steady form and they still win games. We're in good shape and we go there to compete. Whether we achieve a positive result or not will depend on them". Mendibiliar went on to offer an honest assessment of Sunday's opponents, "They're one of those teams that can really hurt you even when they're not playing well", before adding that, "they're the best side there is on attacking set pieces, they've got  players who are a threat in the air and others who put in great deliveries, they've got it all: physical and mental strength, at times they relax and that gives you the chance to score, but you're reliant on that". Despite the gulf between the two sides, the Eibar boss sought to highlight the parallels between the teams, "We're competing in the same league and that means that we must have something in common, even if that's just the fact that we're in the same division. Ultimately, they're dependent on teams like us, they wouldn't win as much as they do if all of the other teams were as strong as they are".

When quizzed about what most concerns him ahead of the game, he replied that, "I'm worried about everything, they can be playing poorly and yet still score and we can only hope that they relax".