Football
Adriana Garcia 7y

Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata and Lucas Vazquez feared by Leganes coach

Leganes coach Asier Garitano wants Sunday's rivals Real Madrid to start with their star-studded attacking trio of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo and leave Lucas Vazquez and Alvaro Morata on the bench.

The Madrid-based outfit will play for the first time in their history against Real in La Liga and will be making the short journey to the Bernabeu stadium to take on the side that is in first place.

Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo, known as the BBC, have combined for 17 goals in all competitions for Real this season but Spain internationals Morata and Vazquez, who have come through the club's youth system, have impressed when coming off the bench.

"For us it's better if the BBC start than if Vazquez and Morata play because of the type of players they are and the mentality they have," Garitano told Cadena Cope.

Morata has scored four goals in his last three appearances. He had late strikes against Athletic Bilbao and Alaves, both after he had replaced Benzema midway through the second half.

The 24-year-old Morata returned to Real this summer after two successful seasons at Juventus and has seven goals in just 669 minutes of playing time in the 2016-17 campaign.

Vazquez, meanwhile, has started in three games for Real so far but has come off the bench 11 times. The 25-year-old winger was last month rewarded with a new contract which runs until June 2021.

Leganes captain Martin Mantovani is also wary of the Spanish pair.

The Argentinian defender told Cadena Cope: "Morata and Vazquez are different players from the BBC."

"They are the type of players that are hungry and want to prove a point while the BBC are already established."

Mantovani said his team is better prepared to face a top club after facing Atletico Madrid and Barcelona earlier this campaign.

Leganes made their La Liga debut with a goalless result at home to Atletico on Aug. 27.

They later hosted Barcelona on Sept. 17 and were humbled 5-1.

"We learned from our defeat to Barcelona and we are better prepared for this game," Mantovani said.

Garitano, who guided Leganes to a historic promotion to Spain's top flight last season, knows the challenge that awaits his side even if Real are affected by Wednesday's 3-3 draw at Legia Warsaw in the Champions League.

"The fact that they played in the Champions League this week could condition them, but the important thing is that we show our best version to have a chance," he said.

Real are unbeaten in La Liga and have won seven of their opening 10 games, scoring 28 goals and giving away 10. Leganes head into the encounter in 16th place with three goals.

Garitano does not have fond memories of his previous times at the Bernabeu stadium.

"This is the third time I will go there in my coaching career but the first time in La Liga," he said. "I went there as an assistant coach of Alicante and as a coach of Alcoyano.

"I've got bad memories of those games."

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