Javier Portillo comments on Real Madrid title challenge
Javier Portillo insists he remain positive about Real Madrid title challenge, when it seemed almost impossible.
The former Real Madrid man also recalled 2003-04 collapse, when Real Madrid surrender eight points lead to concede the title in the hands of Valencia.
“For me it remains a mystery I’m unable to explain. We reached the half-way point but suffered a let-down in the Copa del Rey Final with Real Zaragoza in March,” Portillo remembered in an interview with AS.
Javier Portillo comments on Real Madrid title challenge
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“It was a blow. There was talk of a treble and it affected us. Even that Final started with us winning, so it was harder still. That night was a turning point. I think within ourselves we started to doubt after having everything in hand.
“There were also injuries. Ronaldo, for example, wasn’t in the Final. Then we lost to Monaco 4-2 [in the Champions League] after winning the first leg. The squad was short and we couldn’t meet our objectives.
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“The middle ranks of the squad had been eliminated but the XI was the best in Europe, loaded with Balons d’Or. Even so, we missed having some more in the squad and the youth team players were counted on more.
“Man, I scored 15 goals [in Vicente Del Bosque’s last season]. I had fewer minutes with Queiroz. It happened to some of the canteranos more. It’s true that [Steve] McManaman left, [Claude] Makelele, Geremi…but it’s also true that some more minutes could have been given to the youth team players.
“The team in the end collapsed. Look how well Zinedine Zidane does it now with Jese or Lucas Vazquez as he moves the pieces.
“There was no problem in the locker room. Everyone got on well. There was Raul, who was a great captain, demanding the maximum. It was just a lock, mental and physical. Everything collapsed. We wanted to but we couldn’t get out of it. We even had to grit out teeth to stay in the Champions League positions. We lost seven of the last 10 games! It was a nightmare.”
“As a Madrid fan I never lose faith but it looked almost impossible. Something happened to us like what is happening to Barca,” he noted.
“In all seriousness, I can see Madrid winning. As it stands today, yes. I don’t know if Barca have a problem in the locker room, but they seem bankrupt. And Atletico Madrid have a lot of tight games.”