Gabriel Paulista is counting down the hours until kickoff at Mestalla this weekend, as he eagerly awaits Valencia CF's game against Real Madrid. The centre back talked about the game with VCF Media on Friday, revealing his expectations for Sunday's contest.

"It will be a very nice game, epecially now that we've got more fans back at Mestalla. It's been a very long week, with a lot of work. We're very well prepared to have a great game," he stated, with the impact of the fans singled out as a big boost.

"Having almost 30,000 people at Mestalla is another thing altogether. We are going to try to do as well as in the last game, and I'm sure that with the fans there we will do much better. We'll always be looking for our objective, which is to take the three points."

"Real Madrid are Real Madrid. They are a very big club, with a lot of history, and every year they show how good they are. If you give them just a little space, then with the players that they have -Benzema, Vinicius in the form he's in now- letting them play makes things very difficult," warns Paulista, who added that "It won't be an easy game for us, but it won't be easy for them either."

"You don't beat Real Madrid every day. It isn't easy. We're going to go for the win, and I hope that the game is like last season's match, when we won the way that we did. The important thing is the three points, and it would be no problem to win 1-0. The most important thing is the three points and remaining at the top."

Valencia CF are currently in great form, and Paulista believes that this is down to their new coach and excellent preparation over the summer.

"All the sacrifice and the effort that we made in a good preseason is helping us a lot now, I think. We're flying. It's the way forward. We need to keep going like this, continue working hard like we have been, and show in every game that we are Valencia CF -and that Valencia CF are a big club."

"Bordalás' characteristics are that he's a coach who pushes you and doesn't let you relax for even a second. Now we are back to what this club should be, but we are learning every day with him. He's always talking with me, because he always shows me what I can do."