Real Madrid

Is the team in better sprits after shutting down Barcelona with only ten men over the weekend?

I think so. It isn’t easy with everything that is coming up. That match was a turning point for us and it helped boost our morale. Whatever the case may be, it can all be summed up by the fact that the ball may go in and that we score more goals than them.

How do you prepare for these kinds of matches?

You begin preparing from the moment you know you will be in final and that you will be facing Barcelona. My teammates and I have been thinking about this match for three months. It’s now upon us and it is all we are preparing for. It is a final and Spanish football's prettiest match of the season so far. We hope it falls in our favor.

As captain, what advice can you give your teammates?

Advice? That they have fun. They need to know that there will be a lot of Real Madrid fans supporting them and that many will try to make it to the game in Valencia. We need to think about the 18,000 to 20,000 fans that will be in the stands. We hope we can recognize them and see them from the pitch. We must win for them, the club and for us as well.

How does the team look?

It looks good. We have a very young team and we are playing in a final. I think we have the confidence and nerve to do the best we can.

What has Madrid done this year to join Mourinho in placing so much importance on the Cup?

The coach is a winner and he has placed importance on the Cup from day one. Mourinho believes every match is important and he has made sure that we focus only on this match. That is what he stuck in our heads and we have come out on top against everyone from Murcia to Levante to Atletico and Sevilla. We sense his desire to reach and win the final.

Fan support will play a crucial role in winning.

Without a doubt. It will be crucial. We cannot wait to see the South stands full of Madridistas. We thank them for being there because making the tip and planning their Easter vacation around this is a big deal.

Can you imagine Mestalla’s South stand full of Madridistas? What do you want to see come Wednesday?

Really, great atmosphere. I want the fans to have fun and to enjoy supporting their team. They need to know that we will do everything we can to win, but that things may turn out for the better of for the worse. But we want them to have fun and to ensure that we are a role model of a club and fan base.

What do you ask of Madridistas?

Respect for the opponent and their fans. If we are the best team in the world, we also need to have the best mannered fans in the world. Any support fans provide is great, but they must respect the opponent.

Pirri, who won the 1974 Cup against Barcelona, said that this team has recovered the spirit that always defined this team. Do you see it that way, too?

We have seen historic turn arounds since the dayts of Juanito, Butragueño and the Quinta. This team must always fight and push itself to the limit. It may play well or poorly, but it can never give up for dead. We have a coach who thinks like this and who teaches it to us every day. The players have received the message well.

What advice have former players like Chendo and Butragueño given you?

This is the prettiest match of the season so far, so just imagine if we win. We want to win the Copa del Rey. I am sure it will be mayhem because this team deserves a title for the season it has had.

With players and fans so gelled, is the Copa close than ever?

A large portion of our success is due to our fans. They cannot be on the pitch with us, but from just beyond it they can help carry us to greatness.