Hiddink: "Victory against Osasuna will give the team confidence against Real Madrid"

Valencia CF host Real Madrid this Sunday, and before the game VCF Media Radio caught up with a former coach with experience of the fixture. Recent retiree Guus Hiddink looked back on past editions of the big fixture.

The atmosphere in Valencia CF vs. Real Madrid games at Mestalla

There was a lot of tension. You have to win every game, especially at home, but against the powerful teams it was a great challenge. We beat Real Madrid 2-1 at Mestalla. They were always great games against Real Madrid, and also against Johan Cruyff's FC Barcelona.

Preparing matches against Real Madrid

For games against Real Madrid or other great teams, as a coach it is quite easy. You have to plan the team's strategy well tactically in training and with your team talks, but as far as motivation goes it is a very easy job. In fact you even have to temper the motivation so that the players don't forget their job during the game. They are going to have a lot of emotion and you have to control yourself in these big games.

A famous comeback against Real Madrid

We were losing 0-1 and Fernando Gómez and Roberto scored two goals in a very short time to turn things around. We had a good team. The team liked to play vibrant football with an attacking style. I really liked how the team played, and we eventually got fourth place.

Memories of his time at Valencia CF

I remember a lot of things. First of all, the people who I worked with: Roberto Gil and Juanjo Rodríguez. They picked me up from Barcelona airport, because they didn't want me to land at Valencia airport first of all. I didn't speak a word of Spanish, but they were very supportive. I started working with a great coaching staff. We had barely a peseta to invest in foreign players. I remember that Mendieta was at school and I took him up to the first team when he was 17 years old -and the board criticised me for it. He had a lot of experience in his early years and we all saw how his career turned out. That is an example of a good story.

The work done at the VCF Academy

You can train very well at the Ciudad Deportiva. There are very good facilities and it was my favourite training ground. I would be there from early in the morning until late at night to watch the VCF Academy players. When a club has a great academy with talents, you have to give them opportunities in the first team. If it is not worth anything to just have a great academy.

A good start for Valencia CF

This season they are doing very well. They beat Osasuna 1-4 and that victory gives them lot of confidence for next Sunday's game against Real Madrid.