Niko Kovac ahead of the match against Real Madrid: “We have great confidence” | OneFootball

Niko Kovac on the squad: “Everyone who has been in the squad so far is available – except for Jobe Bellingham, who is suspended.”

…Real Madrid under Xabi Alonso: “We’re all aware that there will be world-class players on the pitch tomorrow. It’s clear that Xabi is using the same system he played at Leverkusen. We also see a similar intensity – in pressing, after losing possession, and with the ball. We can recognize the same patterns that existed at Leverkusen. That clearly shows how much Xabi believes in this style – and he will surely continue to solidify it at Real Madrid. I’ve already seen a lot of good things from them, and we’ll try to prevent those from playing out.”

…preparing his players for the quarter-final: “We have many young players. They are here to learn what it feels like to play in a major tournament. Our experienced players are used to big games – they played in the Champions League final two years ago. They know what it means to face Real Madrid. We’re here as underdogs, but we want to show our best side. And we believe we can make it to the next round.”

…the phase Real Madrid is in under their new coach: “He’s only been coaching the team for three weeks, so of course not everything is in place yet. But you can already see that the players are buying in, and the quality is incredible. But we haven’t been together for long either. We still have things to work on and improve. I hope we can constantly challenge the opponent. We know Real likes to have possession. Of course, we need to have the ball too – otherwise, with these temperatures, it’ll be tough. We’re feeling positive, we’ve prepared the boys. They know everything about the opponent, so tomorrow we just have to play with heart.”

…the 2–5 (2–0) loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage: “I remember the first half was excellent, the second half BVB unfortunately lost. But that was an away game in Madrid – tomorrow we’ll be on neutral ground, even though many fans will support Real. There are two different coaches now. Two different approaches: we now play with a back three, so does Real. Apart from a few players still being on the pitch, this game has nothing to do with that one. So you really can’t draw any parallels.”

…the approach to the game: “When you play football at a high level, a match goes through different phases. Sometimes the opponent has the ball, sometimes you do – sometimes you dominate, sometimes they do. That’s how it will be tomorrow as well. We just have to make sure we can withstand the pressure. When we have the ball, we need to use that phase to be creative and make the opponent chase us. We definitely want possession, and that’s how we will play tomorrow.”

…the pressure of playing against a team like Real Madrid: “We’ve already shown the players: out of our last twelve matches, we’ve won ten and drawn two. That means we have great confidence. And we need that when facing a team like Real Madrid. We’ve finished the season, we’ve played tough matches, we’ve faced big opponents, and I’m confident we can compete with anyone. That’s a good reason for me to believe in my players. They know exactly what it takes to perform at the highest level, and we have a real chance of winning this match.”