Zidane gave his thoughts on the decisive match the day before the Manchester City game (8:45pm CEST). The coach spoke about what will be the key to the game: “A semi-final is very difficult. We can’t think that because we are at home, with our fans, that it will be easy. We will work hard from the first to the 90th minute to make it to the final. As long as we’re calm and patient we can get something tomorrow”.
“It is going to be a difficult game, more so than the first leg. Everything will be decided tomorrow. We are aware of that and we will prepare for the game as we always do, showing respect to the opponent, they’ve got very good players, especially in attack. We are going to concentrate on our game. It’s not going to be the same as the second-leg against Wolfsburg. We can’t think that we are going to score 2 or 3 goals in 15 minutes. We know that it will be difficult and the important thing is to prepare and play a well worked game”.
Approach
“I’m not going to change tomorrow. The idea is always the same and more so playing at home. Hopefully we can play 90 minutes like the second half in England. We have to score a goal, which is the most important thing in football. We’re going to go out to play football, pressing high up with a high intensity and the concentration that is needed in a Champions League semi-final. They are also playing for a place in the final and they will make it difficult”.
Cristiano, Benzema and Casemiro
“Cristiano is in good shape, he is at 100%, he has trained and he is going to play. Casemiro and Karim Benzema are different cases, we don’t want to risk Benzema at the moment and Casemiro has a slight problem also, but we have a big squad that can help us cover all options.
Cristiano risk
“Cristiano is not a risk, he is well, he is training and he is 100%. We’ll see in the game tomorrow but today he is 100%. His recovery isn’t a question of two days, it’s been a week. He’s recovered bit by bit. He is a player who is like that, he recovers quickly and he looks after himself a lot. We need Cristiano at 100% and the good thing is that he is always on the field. He’s a different player and his statistic show that. I would have like to have also had Casemiro and Karim, but others will play and we will do well”.
“We have got a good relationship with the players. It’s important for me that a player says the same about his coach. I like it when my message is taken on by the players. If this relationship stays like this, I’ll be happy”.
Chances of getting to Milan
“We’ve not won anything yet. We’re in good form and our plan if to do as much as possible tomorrow: play the game we need to play to make it to the final. If we don’t go through it will have been a failure, obviously, because we want to go through”.
THESE PLAYERS DESERVE TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
“Obviously when you are the Real Madrid coach you think you can go far in the Champions League. I’m very happy, not because of what could happen, but because of what is happening day to day and the work we are doing. It’s what makes me happy as the coach. We really want everything to turn out well and we want to achieve something important because these players deserve it”.
Substitute for Casemiro
“”We are going to try and replace Casemiro, he has his own type of game but we have other players who can play the same role, we are going to try and play the most competitive team possible, whoever plays will do the work of Casemiro”.
The opponent
“I hold Agüero in high esteem as a player. He is a fundamental player for them and he’s very good. We are going to be aware of him, and the other players. There’s not going to be anything special to defend against him. The most important thing is what we are going to do out on the field. I think that Sterling played well in the first-leg. I don’t want to give my opinion on one player or another. They are a very strong team who are going to play their game and try to make it to the final”.
Defence
“When we don’t have the ball, we must defend as a team. It’s a team effort, not only Kroos. We know the importance of defending together. We’ve been doing it well recently. The best thing is to have the ball, it’s what we like and we’re going to try to have it to harm the opponents”.
The players motivation
“They know what we are playing for tomorrow. I’m going to do the same as always, prepare like always. They know the opposition, where they can hurt us. It’s not about motivation, they know what they are playing for. The motivation will be right from the start”.
Door : realmadrid.com
