Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has claimed Los Blancos could not afford to drop any points in their 2-0 La Liga derby win over Atletico Madrid.
Zinedine Zidane’s side ended Los Rojiblancos unbeaten start to the 2020/21 league campaign with a comfortable 2-0 home victory.
Casemiro’s early header set the hosts on their way, before Atletico keeper Jan Oblak deflected home Carvajal’s blistering strike to make it 2-0 on the night.
This result moves Real Madrid to within three points of Diego Simeone’s table toppers, and Carvajal claims the players knew exactly how high the stakes were at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
“I think today we have gone for the game right from the beginning,” he told a post match interview with Movistar+, reported via Mundo Deportivo.
“We have pressed and we have circulated possession of the ball in their half of the pitch.
“It is clear the La Liga title race is very complicated and we knew that if we lost today it would be much more complicated for us and we have responded.”
Real Madrid’s demanding run of games shows no signs of slowly up in the coming months, after securing their place in the Champions League last 16 with a win over Borussia Monchengaldbach last week.
Zidane’s side head to Athletic Bilbao on December 15 before games against Eibar, Elche and Granada to end 2020, ahead of the return of European competition in 2021.
