Pellegrini press conference

Manuel Pellegrini gave his first post-training press conference as Real Madrid’s new coach.

How did you find the players, and Cristiano Ronaldo in particular?
I think the squad is fine. Normally, there aren’t any problems after the holidays, so there’s nothing new of importance.

Do you believe failing to win at least one title would be a failure?
We all know what Real Madrid aspires to achieve. We will naturally try hard to win every championship.

Is Xabi Alonso essential to this team?
There aren’t any players we can’t do without. He is an important footballer and it is no mystery that Real Madrid wants to sign him, but it won’t be easy.

Is it uncomfortable to have a 32-man squad? Would you like the selling process to go faster?
When there are so many players on a team some may have to leave. The coach has to train with all of them regardless of their situation. I would like to have a structured squad as soon as possible, but we still have time to decide who will stay in the end. In any case, this isn’t really a problem.

When would it be good to have a finalized squad? Which position do you think should be strengthened?
The sooner the better; 27 July would be good because that’s when our internationals return. I wouldn’t mind waiting longer in case there’s doubts concerning a future signing. We are trying different options in some positions. The attack is more solid. We may need midfielders and full backs.

What do you think of Cristiano Ronaldo as a person and as a player?
He’s as I expected him to be. He is the first to arrive at a session, he has fully integrated into the squad, he doesn’t act as a star, and he is a very talented but normal player that is devoted to Real Madrid. His image on the outset is very different to how he is as a player.

Would you like to sign Joao Moutinho if Alonso doesn’t come in the end?
There’s talk of many players that could sign for the Club. I’d rather not talk about anyone in particular.

The Vatican said yesterday that it believes Florentino Perez is spending too much money on players. What do you think?
I have nothing to say. Right or wrong, everyone has a right to express their opinion. I’m not fit to talk about what the Vatican says.

You’ve been criticized for not attending the presentations of the new signings…
Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I was aware of what was happening and I don’t think it was important for me to be in the presentations.

What’s surprised you the most about Real Madrid?
Not much because I was a player for many years and I’ve been coaching in Spain for five. We are all aware of the greatness of Real Madrid. It’s different from the inside, but I am delighted to be here and I will try to win many titles.

Does Sneijder count in your project?
He is a very good player on this squad and our game could benefit from having him. There’s much talk about if the Dutch players will stay or leave.

What do you expect of the pre-season?
It won’t be very physical. We’ve been working on re adapting our men to a working routine and this will gradually change. The unity between the coaching staff and the players is important. I think our friendlies will be very useful too.

How is the atmosphere on the squad? Have you spoken with Cristiano Ronaldo?
People shouldn’t believe everything they hear. Every squad is different and I see no problem here with the big stars. There will be much competition for a spot on the starting lineup, but that won’t affect the good atmosphere. Cristiano and I had a normal chat. I’ve tried to speak to all of them about what I expect from them. We’ll get to know each other better in Ireland.

Would it be a problem not to sign Ribery?
As I said, there are no essential players. We’ll see what happens in the end.

Do you think you’ll reach Barcelona’s level or will you need to do even better than they did last year?
Barcelona proved to have a great team by winning three titles. They have a permanent philosophy and quality men. We will try to be better than Barcelona and the rest of the teams. You can’t afford to disregard any side because there are always several strong contenders for the title. There will also be a great challenge for us in Europe.

Who will replace goalkeeper Felipe Ramos?
We are looking for someone because Felipe will miss several weeks.

How many titles do you think you can win? Has the Club asked you to focus on one in particular?
No. Our goal is to focus on each game at a time. We want to play well in every championship and we wish we could win them all.

Do you still want Claudio Bravo in the goal?
I don’t want to talk about any player in particular.

What will be hardest for you from now on?
I think everything is difficult at Real Madrid because the Club demands you win everything and play well at the same time. I consider it my duty to thrill fans with beautiful football. We have to build he squad first and then achieve a style to which every player can adapt to.

Will Raul play a crucial role this season or will he be benched for the most part?
I think the 25 men we’ll have in the end will al be ready to play. We have to put an end to this five-year run of being eliminated in the Champions League’s Last 16. Raul has proven his quality all these years, but our attacking front is strong with men like Higuain, Raul, Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy, who will be fit to play in a few days. We will take part in many games this season. The schedule is tight because of the World Cup. Everyone will have a chance to play and to prove why they are at Real Madrid. Raul has proven this for years now.

Have you spoken to the players you no longer want on the team?
I’ve spoken to every player about his situation on the team. It’s a thankless situation. We have to look for alternatives for those who no longer count. They all want to stay, but we’ll all end up understanding each other because we are all involved in the project.

Will Ronaldo be able to make his debut on 20 July?
We’ll have to train in Ireland for 10 days before the match. This is the pre-season, so all the work we do is focused on the actual campaign. We want everyone to play in the eight to ten friendlies we’ll have in order for them to be as fit as possible at the start of the championship.

Do you know which players should leave?
That will depend on who arrives. The Club will make announcements when necessary. But it isn’t true that all the Dutch players will leave. We will try not to make any mistakes while building the squad.

Will any players surely be starters?
No one has a definite spot on the starting lineup. Stars are stars because they have to prove their worth every week. I will come up with the most appropriate lineup for each game.

When will the team be exactly as you want?
There is no deadline. I know what I want, but I’m not looking to have it in our first pre-season match. The squad should be ready before the start of the campaign and we’ll have a look at each player’s performance during our pre-season friendlies. We could end up having problems due to suspensions or injuries and I want to get the best out of all my men. I wish to have the best possible team in very little time. There is no deadline despite the fact that this is a new project, but we hope to have the team built by the time we play our first league game.