On Wednesday, as Real Madrid players have been given a day of rest after winning 2-1 against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League, Nacho has attended the presentation of the 'smartwatch' Summit 2 where he discussed the current situation at the Bernabeu with the journalists.
"It's not my decision," he said when asked whether Lopetegui will keep his job. "The only thing that I want, as a player of his, is to win on Sunday and I want to win so that Julen continues. The blame is on everyone because we are a team."
On the rumours about Lopetegui's dismissal Nacho added:
"We can't be thinking about what we read in the press. We have to keep working.
"I see Julen hurting, like all of us. We are professional and the only thing we think about is winning. You have to pass through these complicated moments and now we have to 'stand up as men' and try to win the Clasico."
Indeed, Clasico will be a key game for Loptegui and his future as Real Madrid coach and the team have received a boost ahead of it:
"The Clasico is a special game, really nice and everyone would love to play in," Nacho said. "We have gone game by game and yesterday we recovered some good feelings with a win. We are with a lot of hope."
After the Plzen game, Madrid director Emilio Butragueno confirmed the under-fire coach WILL continue, at least, until Sunday's Clasico. He told the press after the final whistle: 'Lopetegui will be on the bench at the Camp Nou. Absolute normality. In these types of situations, it’s important to keep calm and be united.'
Madrid travel to Barcelona for the mouth-watering Clasico on Sunday, 28 October. Even though the Catalans will be without Leo Messi who is sidelined for three weeks with an arm injury, they are still lethal.
