Pellegrini press conference
Manuel Pellegrini expressed his belief in reaching the Champions League quarterfinals.
"We will reach the quarterfinals"
Tomorrow’s game:
There are no easy opponents in the Champions League and Olympique Lyonnais are no exception. We are convinced of pulling off a turnaround, but it won’t be easy. We are having a good moment both from football and emotional standpoints. We are aware of what we are doing well and of what we’ll have to do tomorrow.
Fan support:
We need the crowd’s support. It will be crucial. The atmosphere at the Bernabeu is special and we’ll have to take advantage of it. Our defeat in France was minimal and I hope team and fans work together to pull off the turnaround. I’m sure we will reach the next round.
Lyon:
Lyonnais are a strong side and they haven’t conceded any goals in a long time. Statistics are meant to be broken. I hope we’re strong enough to do it. The important thing is that my men don’t believe they’ve won it all. That makes them greater than they already are. They try to excel every week. Their hunger shows in every game.
Higuain press conference
Gonzalo Higuain said the fans’ support will be vital to help the team make a comeback against Olympique Lyonnais and reach the next round in the Champions League.
"We have to achieve the turnaround"
Importance of tomorrow’s game:
Tomorrow’s game will be vital to us, especially because this year’s final will be held at the Bernabeu. There would be nothing more beautiful than playing it. We can make a comeback tomorrow.
Santiago Bernabéu:
I’ve been fortunate to experience many great evenings at the stadium, but never one related to the Champions League. I hope to see the first of many tomorrow. The fans’ support is very important. We will need them more than ever on Wednesday. Their support is vital. We want them to infect us with their spirit. It will be a unique match for which the stadium will be packed.
Point to prove:
We will have to play better than in the first leg and show them we are Real Madrid. We want to take this team back to where it belongs. We’ll have to win and achieve the turnaround. Our performance must to come close to perfection.
Guti to Realmadrid.com
Realmadrid.com caught up with Guti on the eve of Wednesday’s Champions League Round of 16 decider to discuss what exactly goes through a player’s head during such important matches.
The Champions League returns to the Santiago Bernabeu after a three month hiatus and in spectacular fashion. No one wants to miss this match.
It is a very important game for Madridismo and our fans. We need to turn the score around after the first leg outcome. We need to be driven and ambitious from the very start, which will get the crowd fired up for a magical night of football. We really want this after so many years of hardship in this competition. We want Real Madrid to be where it belongs.
What would be going through your mind if you were a fan watching in the Bernabeu?
I would stay very positive, but we the players also have to get that message across. If we start off strong, create early chances and really do what we have to, fans will take notice and will support the team until the very end.
The atmosphere at the Bernabeu on Champions League nights is quite special.
True. It is an special atmosphere. We have had some incredible come-from-behind wins here and played many memorable matches that led us to several finals. We hope Wednesday is similar and that the team plays up to par. It will be a tough game, but we have the talent. We will do everything we can to go through.
What does it feel like to walk onto the pitch and hear 90,000 people cheering for you?
You feel like you can’t let anyone down because they have come to see their team win. The crest and everything this shirt means imply values that must always be left on the pitch.
This tie against Lyon reminds us of those most recent magical nights like that against Bayern Munich here at the Bernabeu.
I will never forget those matches. We did badly in the first leg and knew we were up against a good team, but we stuck it out and Real Madrid came out on top.
Will that atmosphere affect Olympique Lyonnais?
We hope so. They need to feel it. The Bernabeu is an amazing stadium and hard for all visiting teams to play in. It should be a factor, especially at the beginning of the match when they will be waiting to see what our first move will be. The tie will be very much in our favor if we score early.
Just another Madridista
Finale Madrid – Lyon pre-preview
If this team cannot turn the tables, then no other team can which is why I am going with a Real Madrid victory.
Les Gones will be bygones by this time day after tomorrow. And with that hope I start this post of mine today.
Its a do-or-die clash against the French giants Olympique Lyonnais in the second leg of the first knockout round of the Champions League. Real Madrid are required to overturn a 1-0 deficit on home turf, their fortress, the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. The fans believe they can do it. The players believe they can do it. I believe they can do it. The game probably will be the turning point of our season irrespective of the result. Good or bad it will turn our season around.
Its time to abase our critics by abating the anathema that has been laid upon us. In anathema, I mean the solemn curse that has been haunting us for almost a decade now – the curse of the UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid C.F. have more European cups to its name than any other club in the World, nine in all, and are looking to make it ten this year especially with the added advantage of playing the grand final at home. And with our current form there needs to be very little doubt as to whether we are good enough to do the job when needed.
Real are finally fulfilling the expectations of the fans and the linchpin behind all this success, President Florentino Perez, who turned the club on its head after becoming the club president for a second term last summer and injecting more than €250 million on getting in Los Galacticós.
Our previous game against Sevilla spoke a lot about the team as a whole. Overcoming a 2-0 deficit, they not only displayed the strength of the squad but also displayed what we Madridistas call Madridismo – spirit of Real Madrid. The result was 3-2 when the final whistle was blown and it saw Real become leaders by virtue of a superior goal difference over Barça. With the second leg of Él Clasíco to be played at the Bernabéu our destiny lies in our own hands. Now with La Liga future secured its time to focus completely on securing Champions League progression.
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March 9, 2010 | Categories: Comments, News, Pre-preview | Tags: Esteban Granero, Gonzalo Higuaín, Kaká, Marcelo Vieira, Michel Bastos, Olympique Lyonnais, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Zinedine Zidane | 8 Comments »