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Real Madrid news: Julen Lopetegui angrily responds to question ahead of Barcelona clash
JULEN LOPETEGUI hit back over his Real Madrid future ahead of El Clasico against Barcelona.
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Real Madrid take on Barcelona later today (3.15pm UK time) and Lopetegui is in desperate need of a result after his side had gone on a five-match winless streak.
Although Los Blancos beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in midweek in the Champions League, it has done little to quell the dark mood at the Bernabeu.
Recent reports had suggested that Lopetegui is on the verge of getting the sack even though his side lie just four points behind Barca.
And when asked about his future ahead of the showdown, Lopetegui was particularly spiky.
“We have a game that is sufficiently attractive without having to think about these types of stories," he said.
"They don't help me to prepare for the game."
Instead, Lopetegui preferred to focus on the historical importance of the fixture.
He added: “There are many key areas to a game of this pedigree, not just one.
“First and foremost it's about what you do on the field and attacking and defending well.
“Then you've got the emotional and mental side of things, which are also important factors in such games. In short, I prefer to focus on the on-field affairs.
"The emotional aspect is important in terms of having the right attitide to approach these kinds of games.
“In a match like this, there are small details and you must not make any mistakes, ensure we have confidence in our strengths and hurt the opposition.
“Both the emotional elements and the purely football-related aspects are important.
“I’m putting 100 per cent of my energy into helping my team to produce a good performance. That's my job as the coach.”
Barca meanwhile, will be without Lionel Messi, who is sidelined with a fractured arm.