The biggest club in the world and currently the best team on the planet will start the campaign for the quarterfinals of the Champions League on the same evening. Everything is in their hands - both quality, and the result from the first matches, and the bookmaker's assessment that they are the main favorites to win the "early cup", so it would be a sensation if both Real Madrid and Manchester City do not continue their march towards the final at "Wembley".
The "Kraljevski Club" is playing against Leipzig at the "Santiago Bernabeu", which it defeated 1:0 in Germany. The question is, however, whether he would have had an advantage at all if Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunyin had not shined in that match. That's why the experienced Carlo Ancelotti, the only man who won the Champions League four times as a coach, is extremely cautious.
- We analyzed the first match, we saw what things we did well, but also what we have to fix. We suffered in defense, Leipzig is very dangerous in transition, they have very fast attackers. It's good that Ridiger is back, he will help us tame them - said the 64-year-old expert.
Ancelotti admitted at the press conference that his job is full of suffering, but that he enjoys it.
- My work is more suffering than happiness. I love my job, even more at Real Madrid, because it's a perfect club, but it's a path of suffering, because you have to solve many things on a daily basis. It's not just winning that makes you happy, because even then there are people next to you who are not happy, players are unhappy when they don't play... It affects the whole group.
Real's ambition is to win the Champions League for the 15th time, no one hides that.
- We have to chase the dream of winning this competition. We have played well so far, but we still have at least two or three months of fighting ahead of us. We have very good players, who want to learn and improve. Everything you tell them, they accept and give everything to help the team - concluded Ancelotti.
In the first game, Marko Roze tormented his much more successful colleague with his tactical setup, and he knows that now his task will be more difficult. Because of one man - Jude Bellingham, who did not play in East Germany due to injury. The specialist who was born in Leipzig has worked with the English phenomenon at Borussia Dortmund and is aware of how much he can do.
- Bellingham is a phenomenon, a warrior, a winner, a leader. He is special, only the sky is the limit - he did not spare Rosa's compliments.
Leipzig, however, did not come to Madrid to surrender.
- We entered the stadium, saw all those photos and trophies from the glorious history, but all that has to end one day. We have to fight and believe, even if things go badly - emphasized Roze.
And while Leipzig has at least a theoretical chance, it is clear that after 1:3 at the "Parken", Copenhagen has nothing to look for at the "Etihad" against the defending champion and the first favorite for the title (odds of world bookmakers from 2,50 to 2,87).
- In football, details make a difference. Anything can happen - we concede a goal in the 85th minute, then another and we go to overtime. I have great respect for Copenhagen. It defends well, it has an excellent system, it is a very well organized team - said Pep Guardiola.
The Catalan, who with a fourth title could equal Ancelotti in the 1st place of the most successful coaches in the history of the Champions League, recalled the events of the group stage, when his team lost at home to Leipzig 2:0, although they won 3:1 in Germany . Later he woke up and triumphed 3:2.
- Two errors, 0:2. If we had conceded another goal, we would have been 2nd in the group - Guardiola is cautious.
City are visiting Liverpool on Sunday, that derby could solve the question of the English champions, but Erling Haaland says that they are only thinking about the duel with the Danish team.
- I didn't think about it at all until you asked me - answered the Norwegian goal-machine when asked if he would be safe for the derby with Liverpool. - I am focused on Copenhagen, and it is clear that we have a big game waiting for us on Sunday.
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