Real Madrid will not be complacent against Liverpool in the home leg of their Champions League round of 16 despite a three-goal lead in the first leg, coach Carlo Ancelotti told a press conference on Tuesday.
Looking to extend a record 15th Champions League title, the Spanish and European champions rallied to complete a 5-2 win at Anfield last month.
But Ancelotti said his players won’t forget they were two goals down before claiming victory and that Liverpool are in a position to pull off a dramatic Champions League comeback at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday.
“On a psychological level I think the match is more complicated for us than for Liverpool,” Ancelotti said at the press conference.
“Liverpool will have to do everything to get the most out of the first minute.”
“The result of the first leg, in this respect, leaves us a bit perplexed. We will try to focus on everything from the first minute, but we have more questions and responsibilities than our rival”, he concluded.
Still fresh in Ancelotti’s memory is last season’s quarter-final against Chelsea, when Real won the first leg 3-1 in London but went 3-0 down at home, having to fight to secure a 3-0 result. -2 which ensured him the place in the semifinals.
“The Chelsea match is very much alive in our minds,” said Ancelotti.
“It will help us play a different match (Wednesday)… We won’t play a closed match, but we will play our best attacking football. The players understand that. So I think it will be an open match.”
“We have to do both well: defend and attack, but let’s think more about attack,” added the coach.
Source: Terra
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