Marcelo: " I don’t want a statue, I’ve made my history at Real Madrid”
Marcelo and Thibaut Courtois faced the media and praised Carlo Ancelotti’s impact as the Italian seeks his fourth European title in Paris.
Real Madrid captain Marcelo joined Thibaut Courtois and Carlo Ancelotti in taking questions from the press ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final. For the Brazilian left-back, who joined Madrid as a teenager in 2007, the final against Liverpool will be his last game for the club although it’s unlikely that we will see him out on the pitch at Stade de France. Marcelo, whose contract ends at the end of next month, has made way for Férland Mendy who will line up against Klopp’s Reds.
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Marcelo
The chance to win a fifth Champions League: “We’re excited and hopeful, we’ve spent many years playing in this competition and we know what it means to play in a final. It’s been a great season, and we deserve to be here. We’re keen to finish it off”.
Plans for the future post-Madrid: “Everyone knows about my passion and love for the club of my life - Real Madrid. It used to be Fluminense back in the day, they gave me everything when I was starting out and Madrid have given me everything too. I don’t want to say what I am thinking right now. I don’t want a statue, I’ve made my history at Madrid, and I will continue to do so. After the final, we’ll see what we can do”.
Benzema: “We know about Karim’s quality, he’s having an amazing season. He has been playing well for a while. He’s a leader, just his character and presence alone helps the team a lot - and not just this season”.
Pre-match nerves: “I’ve been nervous since we made it to the final. We know what it means to defend this club in a final. The nerves usually start getting stronger the night before”.
Brazilian stars on both sides: “Having Brazilian players in a Champions League final makes the whole country feel proud. Hopefully more players will end up playing this tournament. It’s wonderful for Brazilians and for football fans to enjoy a Champions League final like this”.
Ancelotti: “I’ve known him for eight years, I’ve been lucky enough to train under him. He understands football and knows how to manage the dressing room. It’s understandable that all of us want to play every game. This season we haven’t had any problems, the boss reassures us, he tells us the truth. And that gives you the self-confidence to work hard”.