Real Madrid Icon Surprises Barcelona With Strong Praise After Their Explosive Start

These were words that were difficult to ignore, especially given the identity of the man behind them and his strong ties to Real Madrid. As Barcelona continue to enjoy a remarkable start to the season, one of the most recognizable figures in Spanish football offered his assessment of what he has seen from the Catalan side so far.

The comments were more than a passing compliment. He openly praised Barcelona’s performances and results, while also making it clear that the opening weeks of the campaign do not decide the final outcome and that there is still a long road ahead.

Luis Figo, the former Real Madrid and Barcelona star, praised the Catalan club’s impressive start under Hansi Flick, acknowledging the level they have shown since the beginning of the campaign.

Speaking to Radio MARCA, via Mundo Deportivo, Figo said: “They have started very strong. They’re winning, they’re playing very well, they’re scoring goals.”

Figo’s praise comes as Barcelona sit at the top of La Liga with a perfect record, having collected 21 points from a possible 21 and scored 31 goals, according to the report.

However, Figo was quick to stress that Barcelona’s strong start does not guarantee anything at the end of the season, reminding everyone that the competition remains a long one.

“You have to see how the season goes, which is very long,” he said.

He also pointed out that Barcelona’s current form is positive for Spanish football as a whole, highlighting the benefit of having the Catalan club performing at such a high level.

Despite his praise for Barcelona, Figo also made it clear that he still believes Real Madrid can compete until the end of the campaign despite the current points gap.

“Surely Madrid will compete until the end. This is a competition that has to be regular until May,” Figo said.

He added that there will inevitably be highs and lows throughout the season and that teams must be able to deal with difficult periods, explaining: “When there are lows you have to have the maturity and also the quality to overcome them and move on.”

Figo was also asked about the Ballon d’Or, but he did not publicly endorse a particular candidate, instead stressing that the decision ultimately belongs to the voters.

“Who has the power to decide is the one who votes. You have to wait to see what happens. I don’t vote, so I don’t have that problem in my head,” he said.

When the discussion turned to Kylian Mbappe, Figo was full of praise for the French forward, describing him as a player who is “always at a very high level” and “one of the best in the world” when it comes to scoring goals.

Figo’s comments therefore carried two clear messages: strong recognition of Barcelona’s impressive start, alongside his belief that Real Madrid will continue competing until the end of the season and that the true outcome of the title race will only become clear in the final stages of the campaign.