Real Madrid will welcome Real Betis to the Santiago Bernabéu today in a crucial La Liga clash, and for Diego Llorente, it will be a special occasion.

The Spanish defender, who came through Real Madrid’s academy, now faces his former club as a key figure for Betis.

Speaking to MARCA, Llorente reflected on his time at Madrid and paid tribute to Luka Modric, praising the Croatian’s professionalism and leadership.

“A legend who is also an example for all footballers,” Llorente said. “He has accepted having fewer minutes, but he always contributes. Young players should look up to this type of player.”

When asked about the challenge of marking Kylian Mbappe, Llorente admitted that stopping the French superstar is not a task for one player alone.

He said: “When you’re up against these types of players, you can’t go one-on-one in every play because in the end, they have a talent that is difficult to overcome physically. I think you have to rely a bit on your teammates, as I said before, to communicate very well and it’s with help that these teams suffer a bit more.”

With Madrid chasing another league title, all eyes will be on how Betis and Llorente attempt to contain Mbappe and the rest of Carlo Ancelotti’s attacking threats.