Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has warned his teammates about complacency during tomorrow’s game with Liverpool.
Madrid head into Wednesday’s second-leg holding a 5-2 advantage. Plenty have declared the tie to be done and dusted already. Rudiger doesn’t hold that view though. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the 30-year-old has urged his teammates to switch on for the first sixth of the game especially.
“We have to start the match better than we did in Anfield. We can’t sleep for the first 15 minutes, especially against a team like Liverpool. They have a good attacking team,” Rudiger said via managingmadrid.com. “They played a big rival like Manchester United and scored seven.
“We need to find the balance between attacking and defending. That’s very important to us. We can’t just defend the three-goal lead, we also have to please our fans.” Rudiger proclaimed.
Liverpool looking to spook Real
If Liverpool are to give themselves a chance at the Bernabeu tomorrow, then the first 15 minutes is absolutely key.
Inside the same time of the first-leg, the Reds were 2-0 up. Of course, there was still plenty left to do and Liverpool failed to do that effectively. The same will be true tomorrow. If the score-line is somehow replicated, Madrid certainly won’t panic.
But neither must Liverpool. They know that they absolutely have the tools to hurt Carlo Ancelotti’s side. They showed that last month at Anfield and also in Paris during last year’s final. Madrid won’t be complacent, but put those tools on display again tomorrow, and they’re not immune to capitulation.
Los Blancos have been below-par this season in La Liga. They’re certainly not infallible. With a number of younger players in amongst the old heads, perhaps Liverpool may still be able to spook them.
Things were too comfortable for them at Anfield as the Reds shattered confidence virtually killed their chances. But this club and this manager have risen from the dead before. Let’s go out there and give it everything we’ve got, Reds!