Real Madrid players have delivered a strong and united response after their 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Defender Antonio Rüdiger gave a brutally honest assessment of the performance. He said, “We messed up twice, we gave them two gifts,” while also stressing that “at this level, you just cannot keep on losing the ball that easily.” Despite the frustration, he added that Madrid are “still alive in this tie thanks to Mbappe’s goal.”
Midfielder Federico Valverde struck a confident tone. He said, “We are convinced that we can turn it around in Munich,” showing belief in the team’s ability to respond in the second leg.
Full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold admitted the challenge ahead but kept focus on the bigger target. “It’ll be a huge task to win at the Allianz. But our plan is to win this whole thing, so we’ll do our best to win there,” he said.
Forward Vinícius Júnior kept his message short and clear. “We are alive. We must believe,” he stated.
Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni pointed to the opposition’s goalkeeper as a key factor. “We faced a legendary goalkeeper tonight,” he said after the match.