Pre-Match Press Conference: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona; UWCL Quarter-Finals, 1st Leg

Real Madrid and Barcelona both held press conferences prior to their match in the UEFA Women’s Champions League 1st leg, which will be contested on Tuesday at 4:00 pm EST.

I asked coach Alberto Toril and right back Lucía Rodríguez one question each. Here is how they responded:

Q (Toril): A Clásico is always important for Real Madrid and so are Champions League matches. But the reality is that winning against Barcelona is very difficult. What is the importance of these matches in your mind and how do you manage them in relation to the goals in the league? For example, key players like Maite, Kenti, and Ivana did not play vs. Atleti but played vs. Barca in the following match.

Alberto Toril: It’s a good point that you make. It’s very complicated for us. We’re competing a lot every three days. We have to manage the minutes well and consider what possibilities and characteristics each player can give us and how that matches up vs. our opponent’s system.

We always have to pay attention to the match in front of us while also keeping in mind the match that comes later, because we cannot forget that our day-to-day is the league, as that will give us the ability to achieve our objectives [to qualify for the UWCL]. To be here in the UWCL is a prize. We are competing against the eight best teams in the world.

Q (Lucía): Barcelona’s press is one of the most challenging things to face. As a fullback, what are the things you are thinking about and executing to retain possession and progress play?

Lucía Rodríguez: The pressure Barcelona exert, such as in the counterpress or on a goal kick, is one of their greatest strengths. In my position, we have to try to solve the situation, combining and changing wings quickly so that they don’t accumulate players to close down spaces.

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Here are Toril’s and Lucía’s other responses to questions from the press:

On Asllani’s physical status

Toril: In the case of Asllani, she has not had any regularity and has an injury that will not allow her to be available tomorrow.

On how Madrid will come out to play this game

Lucía: We will come out with a lot of confidence. The streak we’re on has helped us a lot. We have a very good dynamic.

Toril: We come into the match with a good dynamic and fantastic sensations. We’ve grown with time and have a good base. We face a good team with a good trajectory but it’s the Champions League. We are excited.

It’s an elimination game not just for 90 minutes but for 180 minutes. We want to make them uncomfortable. We know they can score in any moment. We are going to have to be united in closing their paths of progression, which they use to generate scoring chances. Barcelona leave a lot of space to their backs and that’s how we will hurt them.

On Madrid’s good run of form under Toril

Toril: We’ve been on a good trajectory, getting better and moving up the standings. [Our UWCL qualification] depends on us now. We’re going to face our next matches with a desire to achieve our objectives. The UWCL game is a huge one. It’s our first time in the competition. It will be a day to enjoy and to compete to our maximum.

On how the players prepare psychologically for the daunting task of playing Barcelona

Lucía: These matches motivate us a lot. Psychologically, it’s very easy to prepare because it’s the quarterfinals of the UWCL. This helps us compete more and reach our maximum level.

On Claudia Zornoza’s importance

Toril: Zornoza provides a lot of variety to our play and interprets what the team needs in each moment very well. Her capacity to generate situations to escape pressure helps us progress. She assumes a lot of responsibility and is an important and decisive player.

On the challenge of dealing with the quality of Alexia Putellas

Lucía: We are conscious of the level of Barcelona’s players and we are aware of how good Alexia is. We have to be able to work as a team to limit Barcelona’s strengths because, while Alexia is great, every Barca player has great qualities.

On dealing with Barcelona’s firepower on the flanks

Lucía: We know that Barca is a very good team with great players. Many of them are on the wings and have virtues there, but their game is not only based on that. We have to know how to counteract them and make ourselves strong in those situations to try to nullify their strong points.

On Madrid’s performance vs. Barcelona in the last three matches

Toril: We are facing a good team. Every time we play, it’s a chance to get a little closer to Barca. In the last three matches, we set up well in our defensive block. In the first league game, we were able to get back into the second half on the scoreboard. In the Super Cup, we only lost the match at the end. In this last league match, we competed until minute 40.

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Here are what Barcelona coach Jonatan Giráldez and central midfielder Aitana Bonmatí had to say about the match, courtesy of Marc Andrés i Sanz:

Jonatan Giráldez: Zornoza is one of the most differential players. She influences our press, because she has the ability to receive behind our forwards. Even so, in the league, Jenni, Aitana, and Alexia had great defensive performances.

Giráldez: Speaking of casualties, there are few options to have a broader squad for the 2nd leg.

Giráldez: The way we approach the games, we know that a lot of what happens depends on ourselves. But we can’t start thinking that the tie is done.

Giráldez: The results speak for themselves when looking at the change that Madrid has made with Alberto Toril; we suffered it firsthand in the Super Cup. Preparing for this match requires a lot of effort on our part to know how to hurt them.

Giráldez: Irene Paredes, like the rest of the players in the squad, is available. It is true that she is coming back from an injury and we have to be aware of her participation in the game.

Giráldez: If you analyze the Super Cup match and the league match, in terms of the number of chances, we were very even, but in the league match we were able to score goals and force the rival to open up a little more.

Aitana Bonmatí: The Clásicos are more special [than other games]. The objective tomorrow is to win and get a good result. And the long-term challenge must be to advance in the Champions League.

Giráldez: This being a two-legged tie won’t change our approach. Nothing changes because our intention is to win the game. Playing a game so many times means changing a lot of things to be more unpredictable.