Espanyol striker Borja Iglesias: We're going to go for it against Real Madrid

Espanyol striker Borja Iglesias has spoken to MARCA ahead of his side's match against Real Madrid on Sunday night at the RCDE Stadium and he is optimistic that they can cause an upset.

Iglesias, nicknamed the 'panda', has been exceptional since arriving at Espanyol in the summer, where he replaced Gerard Moreno, and he has scored nine goals in 20 matches in LaLiga Santander, along with producing two assists.

You face Real Madrid during a difficult moment for Espanyol in LaLiga. How do you see it going?

We hope to recover the best Espanyol. We are a very competitive team at home and it's something we want to translate into away games. But we are finding our feet, it's a good moment to give a good account of ourselves, to be solid at the back and to go for it.

For you, is this the most beatable Real Madrid in recent years?

It would be dangerous to think that. They're the kind of team you can never take for granted. Despite the fact that they're not having their best season, I'm sure that they will finish competing for everything and, the truth is, you have to give them more respect that it appears.

Are you convinced that, despite your bad form, you can spring a surprise?

Yes, of course. The team has shown that we can compete with anyone; if we play well, then we can make it awkward for them and we are finding this confidence going into the match.

What will be key during this game?

We have to focus lots on the idea of a good Espanyol; of finding ourselves again, having the ball, being direct. From there, we can hurt them and be a difficult team to beat, like we have been in many matches.

It's been a few months since Cristiano Ronaldo left Madrid - do you think the team is missing him?

Losing a player like him will always have an effect; he has shown the level that he has and what he brought to the team. But in the Real Madrid squad, and the club, they have more than enough ability.

Would you prefer Santiago Solari to rest someone?

When you play against a team as good as Real Madrid, you shudder at the thought of their biggest threat and then someone else plays instead and they resolve the game. Let those of us play and think about ourselves.

What do you think about 'Borjadependiencia'?

I don't like this concept, I don't think it's true because the work done before my goals isn't done just by myself. If I have opportunities to score, lots of people have put in the work and I know that a time will come when I don't score and another player does.