Elche forward Alvaro Rodriguez spoke candidly ahead of his La Liga reunion match against his former club, Real Madrid, reports Madrid Universal.
The young forward spent four crucial seasons in Real Madrid’s youth academy, making ten senior appearances, including scoring a memorable late equaliser against Atletico Madrid.
Competition for places ultimately led him to switch to Elche, but his affection for Los Blancos remains intact.
Speaking to AS, Rodriguez addressed his emotions regarding the match, stating, “I’m not any more nervous or tense than usual. Madrid is a team I love and respect.
I have friends there. It’s a little special because of that, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
He confirmed that facing his former side is not an attempt to justify his departure, saying, “I don’t want to prove anything. I’m here to show Elche what I’m worth, not to prove to Real Madrid that I can play there, no.”
Rodriguez also touched on the changes at the top of the table, noting that while Xabi Alonso “has imposed his style of play, which is different from what Madrid used to do,” Elche intends to break their long winless streak against Madrid.
He concluded by acknowledging the possibility of a future return to the capital, saying, “That never goes away. I love football, and the dream of everyone who loves football is to reach the elite.”
One-Sentence Summary: Ahead of Elche’s La Liga fixture against Real Madrid, former academy star Alvaro Rodriguez stated that his focus is on helping his current club and that the reunion is emotional but not an attempt to “prove anything” to the board in Madrid.