Real Madrid

Real Madrid CF's Kaká may dream of playing in the UEFA Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabéu but he tells UEFA.com that the focus for now is a "great opponent" – Olympique Lyonnais.

Kaká and his team-mates trail 1-0 from the first leg of their first knockout round tie in France and he knows Lyon showed enough in the first leg to underline that winning this week, rather than triumphing in May, must be the absolute focus for Los Merengues. "For us the prospect of winning Real Madrid's tenth Champions Cup in the Santiago Bernabéu has to be a motivation, but not an obligation," Kaká told UEFA.com.

"If it becomes an obligation then it will make things more difficult for us. Winning 'La Décima' at the Bernabéu certainly is the fervent hope of our fans and my fellow players because there are very few clubs who even get the opportunity to play the final in their own stadium. I have both won and lost a Champions League final – it's only when you lose one and realise that you'll have to do it all again next season that you truly get an understanding of how difficult it is to lift this trophy."

Madrid's former Lyon striker, Karim Benzema, correctly predicted to UEFA.com before the first leg that the French side possess a remarkable ability to rise to the moment while Les Gones' two previous home wins against Los Blancos have been followed by score draws in the Bernabéu. Kaká is wary of their threat.

"Even if Lyon are having a difficult domestic campaign everything changes when it comes to the Champions League," he warns. "We are preparing to face a great opponent because they are a top club in European competition and the Champions League changes everyone's motivation." The road to the Bernabéu in May begins with a night of passion and nerves at the Bernabéu in March.