Pau Quesada: "The team is very excited, and we want to play a perfect game."
"We are in a good dynamic, and hopefully, it will be reflected in tomorrow's game," said Athenea.
Pau Quesada and Athenea addressed the media in the press room of the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium the day before the match against Paris FC, corresponding to the second leg of the playoff to access the quarterfinals of the Women's Champions League (Wednesday, 6:45 pm CEST; Disney+). Our coach analyzed the match: "It will be a tough game. We already saw it in the group stage and in Paris. We aim to play a perfect game to make it into the top 8 in Europe. The team is very excited and has worked very well in recent weeks. It will be a competitive match and, above all, very beautiful to watch.”
The one-goal advantage
"Mentally, it is easier to manage a one-goal advantage than two. A 0-2 result is always said to be deceptive. Having only a one-goal lead keeps you on alert. It is a game we have to play to win. Anything other than that, thinking we come with a goal from Paris, would be a mistake. That last goal we conceded will keep us on alert. We need to manage those situations well to, from our variability, be ourselves and control the game."
Game scenarios
"The team's evolution must involve feeling comfortable in an end-to-end match. It is true that in recent games where we have attacked with a back five, the team has felt quite comfortable, as in the Di Stéfano. The team feels comfortable on a footballing level. Where we also need to feel comfortable is in that end-to-end scenario: taking a hit, recovering, and maintaining the same level of play and fluency. That is our focus, which is also very much part of Real Madrid's DNA. Maintaining that consistency when we take a minor hit or are not as comfortable. It's about giving it continuity. That is what we want to introduce as new in the team."
Minutes for Bennison
"She is an extraordinary professional and a teammate everyone loves very much. She is a player who has started in seven matches. It is her first year. She did not do preseason because she had an injury. Gradually, she is feeling more comfortable. We are repositioning her so she can regain that confidence and version of herself."
Athenea: "I think I am in a great moment, and hopefully, it can be sustained over time."
"One of the objectives I set for myself this year is to improve my stats. That is thanks to the team's work. Luckily, we are in a very good dynamic. Hopefully, it remains this way. That collectively, we stay in this dynamic, in this streak, and hopefully, it will be reflected in tomorrow's game."
Improvement in her performance
"We are footballers, and we like to play. But it is true that, in the end, there are different forms and moments, which is a reality. The players who were playing ahead of me at that time were at a very high level, and I just had to wait for my opportunity, and that is what I did. I took my chance. I think I am in a great moment now, and hopefully, it can be sustained over time."
Team evolution over the years
"The work done by Aznar, Toril, and what Pau is doing with his entire coaching staff. Obviously, also the club, which continues to maintain much of the core of the squad, and the new signings are coming in to improve the level the team is delivering. The context we have now is much more positive for improvement, especially for the learning of each of us. We have many years of work behind us. We are achieving maturity and consistency in these five years. We are mixing youth with experience."
Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.