by Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said his team was full of confidence after reaching the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday.
The record 14-time European champions beat Liverpool 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu, 6-2 on aggregate, to advance to the quarterfinals.
Madrid are bidding to win the Champions League for the sixth time in 10 seasons and Ancelotti believes his team’s remarkable run to glory last season has given them plenty of confidence.
The Whites pulled off impressive comebacks against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City, before beating Liverpool in the final.
Even in the first leg of the round of 16 with Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, Madrid conceded two goals before winning 5-2.
“We have a lot more confidence, because of what happened last year, it gave us a lot of confidence,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“We saw that in this tie, against a strong team, we did well in both games.
“But then, just with confidence, we didn’t make it to the semifinals. We have to play amazing football… As always, the Champions League is very complicated and we have to compete until the end”.
The manager praised the mix of youth and experience in his squad, with veteran midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, and youngster Eduardo Camavinga, playing well together against Liverpool.
“The atmosphere is created by the players: the intelligence, humility and patience of the veterans,” Ancelotti said.
“The key is the humility of the veterans, who are not selfish, and the patience of the youngsters because there are players ahead of them who have had a fantastic career and continue to have it.
“Modric and Kroos don’t play for the careers they’ve had, they play because they deserve it.”
Klopp praised the mentality of Real Madrid in the big European games.
“They are used to handling it in the best way and we will have to see if they can do it again this year,” said the Liverpool manager.
“Unfortunately we will have to watch these big games from a distance.
“I don’t know who will win it, to be honest. It will be interesting to watch.”
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