Celta Vigo president Carlos Mourino has admitted his fondness for Barcelona and stated Real Madrid were ‘desperate’ not to have their league clash postponed.
Vigo mayor Abel Caballero had previously claimed Madrid had "arrogantly" applied pressure for the match, originally scheduled for early February, to go ahead despite safety concerns.
The rearranged game will have massive implications for the title race, with Zinedine Zidane’s men tied on points with Barca with a game in hand, ensuring the title will be decided on the final day of the season.
"I have never denied a sympathy for Barcelona for their style of play,” Mourino told AS.
"(Madrid) were a bit desperate, they believed they had a series of advantages if the game was played that day.
“They tried to use the media to get the game played, with quite strange proposals like moving to another stadium to play.
"We believe it was never going to happen, but also that it is normal that each club defends their own interests – Celta do the same.
"They were a bit stubborn, as it was impossible, but they were within their rights to try."
