We knew that Ramos was going to be out from the minute the game finished at the Bernabeu. Of course he is key to them and he has been a great player throughout his career but as I just said now we are focusing more on what we can do to influence and win the game than who might or might not be playing for Madrid.
On Karim Benzema
He’s a fantastic player, I have been aware since he was a young lad at Lyon and he’s a great player but since my time at Barcelona there have been 20 players that have come on the scene and people have asked if we can compare with Messi. 20 players.
Does it mean more to beat Real Madrid, given the Barcelona rivalry?
No, not especially. The fact we play against Real Madrid or not, I will always be a Barcelona supporter. It is the club where I grew up and gave me part of who I am but when I was with Bayern and played against Real Madrid or Barcelona I wanted to beat them. Nothing special. I want it for our players and our club to go to the next step, I don’t lose concentration on this kind of thing because I focus on what we have to do as a team to beat Real Madrid.
On Real Madrid’s Champions League DNA
I have the same feeling, they are more than a team. They have that way of playing where you can never relax even if you are winning 3, 4-0 they always come back and have that huge personality to become the champions they have been. It is the biggest team in this competition and they show to the world but now football has changed a little bit it is so competitive the distances between teams are so narrow. I know we have the better team but we have to show it on the pitch tomorrow. If we do things well, I think everything is going to be good for us.
We knew that Ramos was going to be out from the minute the game finished at the Bernabeu. Of course he is key to them and he has been a great player throughout his career but as I just said now we are focusing more on what we can do to influence and win the game than who might or might not be playing for Madrid.
On Karim Benzema
He’s a fantastic player, I have been aware since he was a young lad at Lyon and he’s a great player but since my time at Barcelona there have been 20 players that have come on the scene and people have asked if we can compare with Messi. 20 players.
Does it mean more to beat Real Madrid, given the Barcelona rivalry?
No, not especially. The fact we play against Real Madrid or not, I will always be a Barcelona supporter. It is the club where I grew up and gave me part of who I am but when I was with Bayern and played against Real Madrid or Barcelona I wanted to beat them. Nothing special. I want it for our players and our club to go to the next step, I don’t lose concentration on this kind of thing because I focus on what we have to do as a team to beat Real Madrid.
On Real Madrid’s Champions League DNA
I have the same feeling, they are more than a team. They have that way of playing where you can never relax even if you are winning 3, 4-0 they always come back and have that huge personality to become the champions they have been. It is the biggest team in this competition and they show to the world but now football has changed a little bit it is so competitive the distances between teams are so narrow. I know we have the better team but we have to show it on the pitch tomorrow. If we do things well, I think everything is going to be good for us.
