Antonio Rodríguez: “We have to show what kind of team we want to be”
“We have to give it our all tomorrow, it’s a final and anything can happen,” added Weir.
Antonio Rodríguez and Weir spoke to the media in the press room at the Castalia stadium on the eve of the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona (7 pm CET). The Real Madrid assistant coach explained: “We're talking about a cup final, the Super Cup final. We're really looking forward to tomorrow's game and to showing what kind of team we want to be and fighting to win the club's first title.”
“We're talking about a game at the highest level. All your opponents push you harder and harder, and if you're not at your best, it's harder to win. Tomorrow is no different. They're going to demand that we play at the top level, and we're expecting an evenly matched game with everything to play for.”
María Méndez
“She's a key player both on the pitch and for the group in the dressing room. She's playing at an extraordinary level, and we hope she can keep it up for as long as possible because we're very happy."
Eva Navarro's position
“She started as a winger and then, due to circumstances, we converted her to the right-back position. I think she has a good connection with Weir. Her positioning is not that of a typical full-back or winger. Weir occupies more space inside and Eva Navarro is in the winger's position in those situations. She took to it naturally and when we started to see how it worked, everyone felt more comfortable and we were able to continue with it.”
Have you practised penalties?
‘It's a very difficult situation to train for because you can't reproduce that situation in training. In the end, it's about the player having confidence, whether she misses or not. It's something that often doesn't depend solely on the taker, and the important thing is that they want to take it and have confidence.”
“We're Real Madrid and we always have to demand the maximum from ourselves. It's true that it's the third final, but for us it's going to be the first, and we have to approach it with the same naturalness as any final for a title at Real Madrid. We're going for it.”
Pau Quesada's absence
“Natural because he has been there every day. Tomorrow he's going to give us that extra energy by being there. Both the coaching staff and the players are very united and, even though some players have missed a few games, we're taking it in our stride.”
Weir: ‘We all want to play and we'll give everything to win’
"I'm very excited about tomorrow's game. It's a final, a Clásico and a big game. We all want to play and we'll give everything to win.”
“We have to give our best tomorrow. It's a final and anything can happen. We respect Barcelona and their team for everything they've achieved over the years, but we're focused on our own game. It's a big game and we're really looking forward to it, we've prepared well and we're ready."
Experience in finals
‘It's my third final with Real Madrid. We've learned a lot over the years. We have a lot of players who were in those finals and now have more experience, not only with the club but also with their national teams. We're going to need those who start and those who come on later."
Change of position
“The season has been a little different playing in a different position, but I've enjoyed the challenge. I'm happy to play wherever I'm needed. I play where the coaches believe I can give my best to help the team. They also give me a lot of freedom in that position. I'm happy to play wherever the coach tells me to.”
Is there more pressure because it's Barcelona?
“At Real Madrid there's always pressure. Obviously, playing against Barcelona is a special occasion because it gets a lot of attention. The matches are very competitive. But we approach it like any other final, we want to win and we focus on our game plan. But you feel the pressure and I enjoy it, it's a privilege to feel it."
"It's the responsibility of the veterans to help the young players. It's not a question of age but of experience. We're going to need everyone.”
Team ambition
“We're really looking forward to it. We're going out there to win. It's important for the club and we want our first title. We're excited.”