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"Real" Madrid coach Jose Mourinho revealed why the team is increasingly eager - this process is fueled by excitement ahead of matches like the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.
Real Madrid - Bayern Munich First leg: 1-2 Stadium: "Santiago Bernabeu", Madrid (Spain) Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary) Kick-off: 21.45 (Lithuanian time) Broadcast: TV6, "Viasat Sport Baltic" (live)
Over the weekend, Real defeated their fiercest rival Barcelona and practically secured the Spanish champions title. However, Mourinho's appetite for trophies is not decreasing - only a revenge against Bayern Munich can disrupt their European ambitions.
"You must know what team, players, and style you have. Then you must exploit your strengths and hide your weaknesses. We defend our ideas, we know what we want to do, and I also know what Bayern is aiming for. If the Germans don't strike, they will be out of the tournament, but I think they will score," said Mourinho.
"These players deserve to reach the final and they really want it. Bayern, of course, have a great team, whose strength is teamwork. But we are capable of winning."
And added: "The match against Barcelona won't decide anything if we don't win the championship. The season is a long marathon. I won't ask anything from the fans - they must give the players what they deserve."
In the national competition, the Madrid team has already scored 109 goals - two more than the previous record set in 1989-1990. However, in this Champions League clash, they will have to do without defender Ricardo Carvalho and midfielder Lassana Diarra, who are already training but not included in the squad.
The mood at Bayern should be different - some slips in the German championship prevented them from dethroning the consecutive title-holding Dortmund's "Borussia". Therefore, Jupp Heynckes' students are left with the Champions League, whose final will be held in May in Munich.
"On Wednesday, we will see a real football spectacle. Both clubs have rich traditions, so we expect a battle of equals," said Heynckes. "We cannot ignore what Real demonstrated in the battle against Barcelona. Because recently, this team rarely won in Catalonia, but achieved such a result last weekend.
"Tomorrow, it may be even harder for us because of the recent 'El Clasico.' I know the stadium very well, as I have coached Real - the atmosphere will be special."
And added: "Real has to score, but we understand that we can do it as well. The opponents have great attacking potential, but we can boast the same. However, we cannot ignore that the Madrid team has already scored about 150 goals in all competitions."
In their home stadium, Mourinho's players have won 10 of the last 11 matches and have scored 22 goals in just five games this season.
Predicted starting lineups: "Real": Iker Casillas; Marcelo, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Alvaro Arbeloa; Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso; Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria; Karim Benzema; "Bayern": Manuel Neuer; David Alaba, Holger Badstuber, Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm; Luis Gustavo, Bastian Schweinsteiger; Franck Ribery, Tony Kroos, Arjen Robben; Mario Gomez;"
