"There's an expectation at Real Madrid to go far in the Champions League and win it. It's embedded in the identity of the club. We thrive off the expectation and it brings the best out of us. It's not only big players, young players are stepping up as well, like Thiago Pitarch, who put in incredible performances last week and tonight."
"But at a club like this, big players step up on the big stage. Last week Federico [Valverde] put in one of the best performances anyone will ever see, tonight Vini shows he's world class again. Everybody put in a shift, everybody defended well. Over the two legs, we deserved to go through."
"It's the most important time of the season. These are the important games, every one is kind of a cup final. It was nice to get one over Manchester City, they've snatched a few medals from me at Liverpool. You know going up against Manchester City is always going to be tough, so we're proud of the performance."
Real Madrid progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals after eliminating Manchester City with a 5-1 aggregate victory. Vinicius Junior delivered a standout performance, scoring twice including a penalty. Manchester City faced significant challenges, including Bernardo Silva's red card for handball that resulted in Madrid's penalty, though Erling Haaland scored a consolation goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold highlighted how the club's embedded expectation to win the Champions League drives the squad to perform under pressure. He praised multiple players including Federico Valverde and young talent Thiago Pitarch for their contributions across both legs. Alexander-Arnold expressed satisfaction with the victory over Manchester City, noting the team's collective defensive effort and deserved progression.
Read at Soccer News
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