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Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Atlético Madrid, booking their place in the final where they will face Barcelona. Despite an early goal, Los Blancos had to dig deep in a physically demanding derby played under intense heat.
Post-Match Reactions
On the performance:
“First goal of the year (laughs). It was a good day to score again. We have to be self-critical. They played better than us. We are a great team, but we must know how to suffer and stay united.”
On relaxing after scoring early:
“You always want to start by winning. After the early goal, we relaxed a bit. It became difficult to impose our style. We had chances, but mostly from counterattacks.”
On physical exhaustion:
“After so many matches and with the heat here… we live for this, but sometimes the body feels it.”
On the incident involving Vinícius Jr. and Diego Simeone:
“It’s a code among players and coaches. It’s part of football. It’s a derby. The important thing is that everything stays on the pitch.”
Looking Ahead to the Final vs Barcelona
“We have to be prepared and rest well. We must win. We are really eager for revenge. Competing in another final is an honor.”
On his powerful strike, compared to Roberto Carlos:
“I still lack a bit of power in my leg (laughs), but the important thing is that it went in. I’m grateful for the confidence. My teammates trust me, and thank God the ball went in.”
Mbappé Traveling to Jeddah
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso confirmed that Kylian Mbappé will travel with the squad to Jeddah for the final against Barcelona, although he did not guarantee playing time.
“He’s traveling.”
Match analysis:
“We knew it would be a tough game. We got the job done and now our focus is fully on the final.”
Playing again as a centre-back:
“It’s been many matches, but since I arrived, there’s been no issue. Wherever I can help the team, I’ll be there.”
On the early goal:
“We started with the right mentality, but you don’t expect to score that early.”
On fatigue and weather conditions:
“It was very hot and both teams were tired. We need to adapt quickly. Sunday is a final—there are no excuses.”
