Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso spoke in press conference at Santiago Bernabéu before facing Real Madrid in the second leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Both know very well the stadium, the supporters and it will be a very special game for these Bayern Munich workers.
The manager still thinks they have options to go through the semifinals and he’s confident they can still succeed: “We have disadvantage after the first leg, it’s pretty clear. We have to play a huge game to go through. We have less odds than before the first leg, but we have some chances”.
It will be a very special game for Carlo Ancelotti: “I spent two years here and I have very good and unforgettable memories, and this is what matters. I don’t know how they’ll welcome me”, the Italian coach said.
The manager also confirmed that Lewandowski will be available and he expects to not commit the same mistakes than in Munich: “Giving freedom to Cristiano is letting him to score. If you give him one metre, he scores. These are small details. Tomorrow they will be important as well”.
It will be a very special game for Xabi Alonso as well. The midfielder will retire at the end of the current season, so it could be the last Champions League game: “It’s a special game, I played five years here and I know very well the team, the players… We know the difficulty and what we are facing and we are ready”.
This is the first time Xabi Alonso will meet with his former team-mates: “I’m very touched for coming back. I was looking forward to coming back, I knew I was going to play against Real Madrid at any moment. But tomorrow we’re back to work against the best team in the world, it’s a challenge for us. We have a big goal, a huge game against a big team and we’ll give everything. We want to fight to be the best and it’ll be difficult but we’re going to try”, Xabi said.
