The Champions League final takes place in less than one week
• Real Madrid coach discusses the historical importance of the Champions League for the club
• He doesn’t want to highlight the opportunity to win the third consecutive title
“There is something special about the Champions League, given the club’s history with this competition. And that includes the fans: it holds a special importance for them too. This club is the one that has won the European Cups the most times, so it’s an important competition for us,” Zidane told Real Madrid official website.
“It’s a very difficult competition and there’s a lot of pressure. You have to work very hard to reach the final and the competition is very high. In terms of intensity and commitment, it’s a very tough competition. The pressure is always going to be there. Although we’ve reached four finals recently, it does not mean that it is an easy competition.”
Zidane plays down the special significance of the third consecutive title:
“Three UCL in a row? It’s not something I’m thinking about. I’m thinking about the final we’ve got to play. We’re not going into it thinking of it as the third consecutive one but as another match which we’ll start from scratch. We can’t put pressure on ourselves. All we have to do is play to the best of our abilities, at our highest level.”
Finally, the coach gives his recipe for success: “Hard work and perseverance. Real Madrid has always had the best players. We have the talent and, if we’re focused, we can achieve anything.”