Alaba: “They gave the white chair to me and I have it at home”

As is always the case before a Champions League match, there was a pre-match player press conference and David Alaba was the man chosen to speak to the media. He started off by analysing the quarter-final tie against Chelsea, stating: “The Champions League is very special and we’re very confident about reaching our goal, which is to win. If you look at the history of Real Madrid, the is pressure to win this competition but we love that. It’s the best club in the world and this is what we love. We’ll try to do the club proud. This year a little bit has changed with the first leg at home. It doesn’t change too much for us. It’s not easy to beat us in our stadium.”

Alaba on facing Chelsea again

Discussing Real Madrid’s opponents, who they also met at this stage last year, Alaba said: “We won’t underestimate Chelsea, we know that they still have a great squad. They are a great team and we have to be focused, from the first minute. Maybe with the changes they’ve done in the past week, they can do something. I don’t think that they will be afraid.”

Alaba on how Fede Valverde has been training

While he couldn’t go into detail on the Fede Valverde and Alex Baena incident, the Austrian did provide an update on how his teammate has been training, stating: “He’s very good, he’s got a lot of support from us. He’s looking very sharp and focused, training very well and looking ahead to the game tomorrow. I can’t comment more on what happened.”

Alaba on his best position

Asked in which position he feels most comfortable on the pitch, Alaba replied: “I think it’s not a secret that I can play multiple positions. I’m a very flexible player, but I feel much better in the central position. I’ve been playing there for years now. I feel very good there. What I want to do is to always support and help the team be successful.”

Alaba on whether he wants Ancelotti to stay

Discussing Ancelotti and if he wants the Italian to continue beyond the summer, Alaba said: “Yes, of course. He’s a great coach. He has shown what kind of coach he is. He has been so successful. We’re very happy to have him here and of course we’d love him to continue.”

Alaba on the Benzema and Vinícius partnership

The defender discussed how well Benzema and Vinícius are doing and if he thinks they’re the best attacking duo in football right now. To that, he said: “Yeah, I guess so. They’re a really great couple. You see this in training and in the games. It’s not a surprise to me to see how well they play together on the pitch because I see it every day. Karim is a great leader and does a good job of leading the team.”

Alaba on the famous white chair

During last season’s Champions League run, Alaba was behind one of the most iconic moments as he lifted a chair following a goal against PSG. Asked about that situation and if he knows where the chair is now, he explained: “The celebration was because of a situation that was very special. I can confirm that they gave the chair to me and I have it at home.”

Alaba on the Bayern vs Manchester City tie

Asked about the other tie, the winner of which will face the winner of Real Madrid vs Chelsea, Alaba stated that he hopes it’s Bayern Munich who win it. He said: “Of course I’ll support Bayern Munich. I was there for a long time. I think it will be a very interesting game. We’ll see.”

Alaba on The Best Awards controversy

During the press conference, Alaba also re-explained why he picked Lionel Messi ahead of Karim Benzema when casting his vote as Austria captain. He said: “It’s not me who was choosing Karim after Messi. Everyone in our team can vote and that was the result.”