We Must Be at the Highest Level, and Stopping Vinicius is Difficult
The coach said: ‘We play eleven against eleven. We want everyone to be in the best physical condition because we have played many matches. It’s better to do some rotation, but this is a different tournament, it’s the first match in the confrontation, and we want to achieve a good result.’
He added: ‘Emotions show when you play badly, and they may affect the match. This is not our first time here, and no one knows what will happen. Of course, good things won’t happen if you are not yourself. You have to face the opponent, look him in the eye, and go for the win. Maybe you qualify, maybe you don’t get lucky. This is what happens in big stadiums against big teams. The confrontation extends to 180 minutes, and you must control the good and bad moments.’
He continued: ‘Playing for the first time in this stadium is different. New signings have started to experience this atmosphere, and we hope it continues.’
Regarding the team’s condition: ‘We arrive at this match in better condition compared to what we were before. We suffered many injuries in the league stage, but these teams have great experience. For many reasons, we will see what happens after the match.’
He continued: ‘Does he expect surprises from Arbeloa? Many surprises? This is the first time I face Álvaro Arbeloa, so I don’t know. But we know each other well. He knows us too, and there are some adjustments we need to make because of their quality. But I don’t think there will be surprises.’
About playing at Santiago Bernabéu: ‘When we play at Anfield, Old Trafford, or Camp Nou, you have to give everything you have. They always try to distract you, but in the end, it’s a football match. I prefer to be here rather than absent because that means we are among Europe’s elite. For players playing these matches, it’s an important experience for the future. We will give everything we have to qualify. We want to continue writing our history.’
Regarding the team’s playing style: ‘We want to take the initiative and possess the ball, and not make many mistakes because that punishes you severely in the Champions League. This is what distinguishes us as a team. You can’t be perfect for ten years; sometimes, you have to start anew with new players. But this is the style we want. You must know how you want to play and be convinced that you can do it. Now we have to prove we are the best; if you are not true to your identity, anything can happen. Maybe you get lucky, which sometimes happens in the Champions League. Sometimes you play very poorly and qualify, but you must stick to your style.’
On the key to winning: ‘The way is to play better than your opponent. In the match, there are many factors, and football today is unpredictable, but you have to be better than the opponent. You must always try. And if you exit the tournament, let it be because you were yourself. Sometimes that’s not possible because the opponent is better, and that can happen. But you must try.’
About Alonso’s dismissal and Arbeloa’s appointment: ‘I haven’t worked with Arbeloa before, and I don’t know him well. I only give advice to those I know, and I’m not the right person to give advice to everyone. I have a good relationship with Xabi Alonso, but with Arbeloa, there is no relationship. Real Madrid has some similarities, but every coach adds his own touch. They have some absences, but Real Madrid always remains Real Madrid. The differences are just details.’
He followed: ‘An unbalanced confrontation? We will see that next Tuesday in the return match. Last year, we arrived in very poor condition. I will not be the one to underestimate this club in this tournament. Nor any other team, as all teams seem difficult to me.’
On stopping Vinicius: ‘It’s difficult. Previously, we had Kyle Walker. He is a constant threat. We will try to be very close and quickly return to defense. Often you can’t control him, we know that. But we will try to impose our style of play and make him participate as little as possible.’
Regarding Kylian Mbappe: ‘Is my opinion important about his move to Paris? As far as I know, he wasn’t the only one who made the decision… In our club, the same thing happens sometimes, and I don’t think that’s disrespectful. But I’m not the right person to express my opinion on that.’
He concluded about facing Real Madrid for the fifth consecutive year: ‘I can’t rely on knowing Real Madrid’s condition because I don’t see them every day, and I don’t know their real situation. I only rely on what we provide in recent matches, I have no other choice. After that, we will see what happens, yes, we face them a lot… They treat us well here, we eat well and dine well… but we know we must be at the highest level.’
