Jose Luis Mendilibar was trying to be realistic, but he couldn't help expressing a sense of hope, too.
"We know we're playing one of the best in the world, and it would be normal that they win," the Eibar manager told AS ahead of his side's clash with Real Madrid on Sunday. But then he added: "In spite of that, you never know."
And that's the thing: He's right; you don't. Not right now, anyway.
As recently as six or seven months ago, a meeting between Eibar and Real Madrid would have held few possibilities.