Paulo Fonseca and Mike Maignan spoke in the press room at the Santiago Bernabéu the day before the game between Real Madrid and Milan (9 pm CET). The coach began with a message for those affected by the DANA: “I'd like to extend my support to the victims of the catastrophe in Valencia. What we've seen is very hard and difficult and our hearts go out to the people who are suffering from this tragedy. We've suffered similar tragedies in Italy and we stand by the people of Valencia.”

“Real Madrid are favourites to win the competition and for us, it's an opportunity to prove our worth and continue to improve as a team. Tomorrow's game is a great opportunity. We approach it with great motivation.”

A European classic
“Real Madrid are the club that has won the most Champions League titles and that says it all. It's difficult to say if it's the derby of the Champions League because there are so many games played. We hope to be up to the task tomorrow.”

Maignan: “We have to play like a family”
“Tomorrow's game is a great opportunity for us. It's not going to be a normal game, it's special. We'll have to do what we always do and I want to contribute to getting a positive result.”

“We have to play with our heads. Having experienced players can help, but we have to play like a family.”