Ready for Al Jazira

The team had their final training session before tomorrow’s semi-final match vs. Al Jazira. 

Training

All 24 players who made the trip participated. (Video)

Presser

FROM REALMADRID.COM

Zidane: “There’s a title at stake and the prospect of bringing it home is one that motivates us

“It won’t be easy but we’re focused and want to give our all to win”, added the Whites’ coach.

Zinedine Zidane addressed the media after overseeing his side’s final training session ahead of the Club World Cup semi-final (Wednesday, 6pm CET, 18:00 local time), with the Real Madrid boss underlining the importance of the competition and offering his thoughts ahead of the game against Al Jazira: “We want to give our all to win it. It won’t be easy. Tomorrow we’ve got the semi-final and we’ll be trying to get through and then lift the trophy. There’s what we’ve come here to do and we’re fully focused on this competition”.

“I like the city and am happy with the welcome we’ve received from the locals, who are devoted Real Madrid fans. Seeing how people get behind Real Madrid is special. When we found out our semi-final opponents we began to analyse them. I didn’t know anything about them before but we’ve now analysed them thoroughly. They’ll be doing everything they can to win because for them it’s their game of the season, against Real Madrid. We’ll need to be ready for what’ll be a tough game”.

Five trophies in a year
“Real Madrid is Real Madrid and this has always been a big club. I’m up for this, as are all of my players. We’re here defending a title we won last season and that’s what we’re here to do. It’s a long trip, but it’s a competition in which there’s a trophy at stake and we want to take it home with us”.

Adaptation
“Being here isn’t like it was last year. There isn’t much of a time difference and that’s better for us. We arrived on Sunday and have trained for two days. We’re focused on the semi-final, are in very good shape and that’s the main thing. As always, we’ve studied our opponents, but the most important thing is what we do.

Bale and Varane
“We’ll have to see what happens tomorrow. Both of them have trained well and haven’t had any issues. I’m happy to have all of my players available, that’s the most important thing for a coach”.

The opposition
“We know that there’s no such thing as an easy game. Our semi-final is against opposition that people say we’ll have an easy time against, but we’d be wrong to go into it thinking like that. We’re thinking exactly the opposite. When teams come up against Madrid and when there’s a trophy at stake, everyone wants to perform. We have to retain out focus and be ready and do what we’ve been doing well of late”.

“Modric and Kroos are important players in this team, as are Casemiro and Mateo (Kovacic). They know our system very well and are in really good form. The middle third is very important in terms of our possession and we’re keen to continue performing as we have been recently. We’re on the right track, but there’s a long way to go”.

Use of technology
“Whatever I say won’t change anything. It’s perfectly normal that it’s being introduced. Technology is there to improve things and it’s a positive step. If we want to go into the details, there are things that are different and which I perhaps don’t like. They want to improve things and I hope that things can be improved a great deal”.

Achraf
“He’s doing fine, just like the rest of them. He’s improving and he’s ready to play, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see my team”.

Cristiano Ronaldo
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I’ve got the world’s best player here and he’s proved that. He’s made history at this club and in this shirt. I’m delighted to have him here and in my view, he’s the best”.

Win over Sevilla
“I was happy with the display against Sevilla. That’s what we’re looking to do: deliver good performances and score goals. We’re here now and are training well and have rested up too. We’re just focused on tomorrow’s game”.

Threat of suspensions for El Clásico
“It’s something that could happen. They’re two different competitions and I think that it’s a bit excessive. However, nothing’s going to happen on that front because I’m a positive thinker. We’re going to focus on putting in good performances and I believe that everyone will be available for the Barcelona game”.

FROM REALMADRID.COM

Marcelo: “We’ll be giving our all to reach the final and win it”
by Javier Garcia (Abu Dhabi)

“There’s no greater motivation than to play for this club”, declared the Brazilian defender.

Marcelo addressed the media ahead of Real Madrid’s Club World Cup semi-final meeting against Al Jazira (Wednesday, 6pm CET, 9pm local time), with the defender previewing the encounter in the following terms: “Every competition that Real Madrid is involved in is important. I’ve been lucky enough to win many pieces of silverware and that drives me on to continue fighting for every title. This tournament is a very important one for us. We’ll be giving our all to reach the final and win it”.

“We’ll firstly have to get through the semi-final, which won’t be easy, and if we win that one, we’ll then take our place in the final. Being involved in the Club World Cup is our reward for winning the Champions League. I don’t think it’s fair that if you’re sent off in the final you’re then suspended for a LaLiga game. We won’t be holding back in our tackles because of that. We’ll have to give every last ounce to make it through to the final. When teams come up against Real Madrid they give their all and we’ll need to put in a great performance”.

Al Jazira
“I haven’t seen all that much of our opponents. I’ve watched a few clips and I know that it’s a very young club. They’ve got a Brazilian, Romarinho, who’s a terrific player, but there’s still time ahead of tomorrow’s game to look at a few things”.

Club World Cup experience
“Experience counts for nothing in these tournaments. You can have played 50 matches and the next one pans out differently. It doesn’t help us, but it drives us on because we know what it’s like to win and that motivates us all the more. As always, the team will give its all, but having that experience doesn’t alter things much”.

“I thought that we did well on Saturday and turned in a great display against Sevilla, but that’s now in the past. We’ve got to take the positives from it and focus on tomorrow, give our all to win and make it through to the final. We continue to do what we’ve been doing up until now, trying to improve our performances and we’re on the right track and I believe that we’re in very good shape”.

Committed
“We try to help each other out and be united, because that’s vital in this competition. However, nothing has changed. We spend more time in the hotel, speaking amongst ourselves, and there may well be a greater togetherness”.

The squad
“I’m happy with the squad that we’ve got right now. There’s a good mix of youngsters and experienced heads, but I’m not the one whose job it is to sign new players. Real Madrid has to have the best players and if anyone does come in, that’ll be welcome. I’m delighted and am really happy with the squad we’ve got here”.

Real Madrid career
“Every day when I wake up, I’m aware that being at Real Madrid is a motivation. It would be really special for me to finish my career here because I joined the club from Fluminense, which is where I was given the chance to start out, and Real Madrid is a second home for me. I’m really happy in Madrid. There’s no greater motivation than to play for this club”.

Champions League last-16 tie
“The two games against PSG will be great occasions but we’re now just focusing on the Club World Cup. We want to win the semi-final and make it through to the final”.

– Lozil