Rodri's warning before El Clasico: "Real Madrid is always a fearsome rival, even when they're not at their best"

Some games are won in the head before they're won with the legs, and Sunday's Clasico fits squarely into that category. Rodri Hernandez couldn't be clearer about it: no matter how shaky Real Madrid's start to the league season has been, nobody in Barcelona's locker room is going to buy the idea that it makes them an easier opponent.

The 30-year-old midfielder is in the middle of a special week: it will be his first Clasico since returning to LaLiga this summer after seven seasons at Manchester City. And he's going into it with his eyes wide open. "I've known all their players for many, many years," he told ESPN. "I've played in plenty of matchups against them, and I've realized that one of their great strengths is making opponents believe they're not as good as they are. They don't fool us, or at least they don't fool me," he warned.

Madrid's current form isn't a minor detail: they've already racked up two losses in LaLiga, while Barcelona remains undefeated in the league. Still, Rodri would rather not put too much stock in that snapshot. "Real Madrid is always a fearsome rival, regardless of their form. And on our end, which is what I try to get across to my teammates, we'll need to be at our very best if we want to beat them."

For the Madrid-born midfielder, this match carries extra weight for another reason: he could have ended up wearing white this very summer. That's why there's genuine excitement in his voice when he talks about what's coming. "I'm really excited and looking forward to experiencing this for the first time," he admitted. "I watched it so many times on TV growing up, as a fan, and as I got older I kept following both teams. It's always a special game, no matter which side you're on, so I'm very happy."

A cool head for whoever can keep one

Rodri, who lifted the World Cup with Spain last summer as captain, insists these kinds of matches demand something different from the usual week-to-week football. "These are games where emotions run high, and you have to try to set them aside," he said. "You need to stay as calm as possible and be fully focused, because these matches get decided by the smallest details."

I think the main thing I bring to this team is my experience, that leadership role, organizing my teammates and instilling a positive mindset in them.Rodri Hernandez

Asked about his own role on the team, the former City man was both self-critical and ambitious: "In terms of footballing quality, the level here is clearly very high. All the players, especially in midfield, have that quality. Obviously I came here to contribute, but I can offer even more than I have."

Barca arrives at this Clasico with a bit of a chip on its shoulder after the 4-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League midweek, which snapped an 11-game winning streak. If the club ends up winning LaLiga this season, it would be a third straight league title, but Rodri isn't interested in talking about numerical targets. "I don't think it's wise to set specific result-based goals, because football can take you down one path or another," he said. "But it should be clear that the perception needs to be that the club, both as an institution and as a team, is better than last year. That's why new players came in. That's why they've adopted this approach of taking it step by step."

Not everyone in the locker room sees Sunday as a turning point in the league race, even though a win would open up a significant gap. Pau Cubarsi put it plainly: "It's a very big difference, but LaLiga is a long season. This has only just begun, and whether we win or lose, we have to stay focused because, as we well know, anything can change at any moment in LaLiga. We need to keep this momentum going."

Gavi was thinking along the same lines when he spoke to ESPN: "That's a decent number of points, but the season is very long and they could catch back up in just two or three games." Caution, then, ahead of euphoria, even if the desire to go out and win on Sunday is the same as always.