Alaba reveals Austria team prefer Messi to Benzema, show support for Valverde
Nigeria-born Real Madrid defender David Alaba has clarified the controversy surrounding FIFA’s The Best’s votes and showed support for Fede Valverde.
Alaba: “I didn’t vote for Messi ahead of Benzema, we voted as a team”
Alaba has only missed one of Real Madrid’s games in this edition of the Champions League.
A hamstring injury kept him out of the last outing, the return leg against Liverpool.
But the Austrian looks set to start Wednesday’s quarter-final first leg against Chelsea at the Bernabéu.
He joined coach Carlo Ancelotti in the Valdebebas press room to preview the game.
The keys to beating Chelsea. “I think it depends on a lot of factors. A game like this is very special, the Champions League has its own history. We are focused, we want to reach our goal and win the game”.
On Valverde. “He’s doing very well, he’s obviously had all of our support, he’s trained well, he’s fit, focused for tomorrow.”
On playing at centre-back or full-back? “It’s not a secret that I can play in various positions, but I feel better as a centre-back, I’ve played like this for four years.
What I want to do is help the team to win. In my career I have played in many positions, I am a very flexible player. I’ve had coaches want to try me in various positions. Now I’m in the centre of defence and I feel good there”.
More pressure than in other teams? “If we look at the history of Madrid, the pressure here is very high, but we love this pressure and manage it. It is the best club in the world and we have to manage the pressure. We work every day and we are very confident. We want our fans to be proud of us.”
Has Madrid given up on LaLiga? “Every year, the goal is to win LaLiga. This year we have lost points and we have to keep advancing and stay focused game by game. That is what makes us so special, we try to win every game”.
Chelsea’s situation. “We don’t underestimate them, we know they have a great squad. We have to be focused on ourselves and on pressing from the first minute and trying to be successful tomorrow. The changes they have made in the last week can affect but we have to remain very focused”.
The Best winners and voting Messi over Benzema as Austria’s captain. “I’m sure you know, how it happened. But I explain it again. I am not the one who chose Leo before Karim, we are a team and in our team everyone can vote and in the end there is a result, and that’s how it turned out”.
On Ancelotti. “He is a great coach, he has shown it many times. He has a lot of experience, he knows how to succeed. We are very happy to have him and we would love for him to continue”.
City-Bayern. “I’ll be supporting Bayern, of course. I was there for a long time, I have a story and I know colleagues. But it will be a very interesting tie, with two great teams”.
Favouritism. “Most of the time Madrid is the favourite, but we are not focused on that. The objective is to reach the semi-finals and we must try to be successful tomorrow”.
Benzema-Vinicius. “They have a wonderful partnership. They are seen training every day and every weekend in the game. We are delighted to have them. It’s not a surprise how well they play together because I see them every day in training. In the dressing room Karim is a leader and he always tries to lead the team and the younger players like Vini”.
Chelsea fear. “I don’t think they’re going to be scared, but we’ll try what we can to make it a daunting experience for them. It’s a special match, in a special stadium and in front of our special fans. We saw it last year, that it’s not easy to beat us at home”.
First leg at home. “Yes, this year it has changed slightly, but it doesn’t change much for us because we know what we can do in two games.”
On his chair celebration for the third goal against PSG. “It was a very special situation and yes, they gave it to me and I have it at home.”
Career and colleagues. “I feel very blessed with my career. If there is a special player that I think of now, it is Ribéry, who recently celebrated his birthday”.
