Real Madrid captains Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos have warned of Champions League rivals Schalke 04’s strength in an interview with Real Madrid official website.
The goalkeeper believes the Germans “are very strong physically and play well on the break”.
The 31-year-old stated it will be important to play the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu: “We have that advantage, but we’ll go to Germany to win and try to go through to the next round.”
“They might not be one of the favourites to win the Champions League, but we will have to play very professionally and respect the other team. We hope to go through to the next round,” Casillas added.
Ramos also emphasized Schalke “are dangerous on the break”. “They are not as famous as others, but it will be a tough game against a team who have deserved to qualify for this stage,” he said.
The 27-year-old centre-back highlighted the benefits of playing the second leg at home. Ramos affirmed “that helps, but German clubs defend very well and are organized”.
“We’re looking forward to the game because it’s a competition that we really love. Like all Real Madrid fans, we’re hoping to go as far as possible in the competition and we’ll take this game seriously and respect our opponents,” Ramos concluded.
