NEWS | 15/04/2014 | Diego Jabalquinto | PHOTOGRAPHER: Víctor Carretero
“We have to have courage and personality, which are the most important qualities for playing a final”, said Real Madrid's coach.“It's a final. We are not approaching it with the intention of blocking out the other team, which is very strong. We're going to try and play our own game with our quality and our brand of football. We've worked all year to try and play in a certain way and we'll try and do it tomorrow. It is the only solution we have to winning this final”.
The two league matches against Barcelona
“In the second game in the Bernabéu we played very well. We competed well, we were winning and we made small mistakes. We have to concentrate throughout the match. I'm very happy with the second match against Barcelona and we have to do this throughout the 90 minutes. We've looked at the defensive errors we've made and we have worked towards eradicating them for tomorrow”.
The tactical approach
“The goal is to work as a unit. We train for that. There is no problem motivating the players for tomorrow, they are very excited. I can see a lot of desire in this game. I think we have planned well for it and I'm sure we're going to play well. We try to defend together. The best defensive work is a collaboration between players. Sacrifice and good defensive organisation. We do not have a specific marking plan for Messi”.
We have a lot of confidence in this team, which has always responded well to absentees.
“This morning I found out that Cristiano Ronaldo will not be there. We're missing a lot of players but I think we can play very well. We're losing a player of enormous quality. But the team has always responded well when Ronaldo is out, which motivates everyone. We have played the matches without him very well by working harder, running harder and playing together”.
Quality on the pitch
“The team's approach is the same with or without Ronaldo. It's a final and we have to do our own thing. Obviously we have to consider the quality of the opposing team but the plan for the match is to try and get all of our quality on the pitch. The decision is that he is not available to play because it is a risk to put him on the field. We still have very important matches this season. He will be working tomorrow and then he'll go to Valencia to watch the final”.
“Ronaldo has not rested because he was not in a position to rest. We have not seen any signs of a tired player. If he were, he would not have played. Ronaldo has reached a time in the season that many players reach. We were careful with Cristiano as we have always tried to be careful with all the players”.
Barcelona's latest match
“It is a team that continues to work well and in recent matches it has dominated possession of the ball, which is its most significant quality. To win this match we have to prevent this and get our own possession of the ball. We have to consider the opposing team's possession is very good”.
A new Clásico
“All matches against Barcelona are important. It's a Clásico and that makes it even more important tomorrow. It is the first final we have, we are aiming for two more titles and we hope to win it”.
“At the moment I'm very happy because I am lucky enough to be one of the key men in the match. I have a great team and I'm very happy. I hope to feel the same tomorrow after the match”.
