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| Monday, 08 March 2010 21:23 |
Champions League: Ronaldo believes in Real Madrid’s chancesReal Madrid v Lyon preview Cristiano Ronaldo says he is confident that his Real Madrid side can turn around their Champions League tie with Lyon at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, especially if the home crowd play their part.
Real were beaten 1-0 by the French team at the Stade Gerlande in the first leg of the last-16 knockout tie, with Lyon widely acknowledged to have been well worth their victory. However, Ronaldo’s men come into the return leg in fine form, with a dramatic 3-2 win over Sevilla on Saturday seeing the club from the capital overtake Barcelona to top La Liga. “The fans were great (against Sevilla) and we are grateful for that,” Ronaldo said. “I hope for a repeat on Wednesday, because it will be essential to our chances. We need to take control at the Bernabeu. I am confident that the stadium will be full and upbeat. “We know Lyon, who are a strong team, but we are at home and I’m confident we’ll make it. We have to approach the game with the mentality of winning and scoring goals. The more offensive our midfield the better, but that depends on the manager.” Having led his team’s fight back from 2-0 down at the weekend with their first goal, Ronaldo has again been highlighted as the player most central to Real’s chances of making the quarter-finals. The 25-year-old is adamant, though, that it will need a team effort to book their place in the next stage. “We are eleven on the field, not just me. There is no extra pressure on me, we all feel the same pressure. The way I play depends on the entire team. Real Madrid depends on the collective. A great team is made up of all the players, with the eleven on the field and the substitutes. “To be eliminated again at this stage would be disappointing because we want to win the Champions League and it is important to this club. The team is in good form. Now we play Lyon, who are a good team physically, but we can do better than them and I trust we will come up with the right answer and move into the next round.” By Sean Gillen Keep up to date with all the latest news on Portuguese football with the new PortuGOAL Twitter! Add your comment |
