Live TMW
The Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso presents, from the Bay Arena, tomorrow’s super challenge in the Champions League against Milan. The Germans, fresh from a league draw against Bayer Munich, beat Feyenoord 4-0 in Rotterdam on the first day of Europe’s top competition. On TMW you will be able to follow the Spanish coach’s statements live.
1.33pm, the press conference begins
“We will face a great team, with individual quality. We will need our best performance on the pitch, but we are ready. There hasn’t been much time to prepare but that’s fine.”
Do you have a race plan?
“Obviously we have a game plan, then in 95 minutes anything can happen. We know our style of play and I don’t expect a match like the one against Bayern Munich, but we will be ready.”
What challenge do you expect?
“We will always have to be concentrated throughout the match. We don’t want to let them dominate the match, they are good at counter-attacks. In the last match they scored 3 goals in 5 minutes… That’s Milan, with all their great players. They have speed and quality, it will be a great match for us but in the Champions League all the opponents are of a high level.”
What does Morata expect?
“A great player, we are in contact. He is very mature now, he is the captain of his national team, he has accumulated experience, he is competitive and intelligent. I hope that tomorrow he doesn’t have his best day.”
What do you think about Pulisic?
“He is in very good form, he is an important player for Milan because he has a very strong impact on the team. He stays between the lines, he is fast, but I cannot concentrate only on him, I also think about people like Leao or Morata”.
Andrich’s moment?
“He played very well against Bayern. We created chances, tomorrow we’ll see how we go about it but I’m happy with his performances. He’s always concentrated and makes good decisions, we saw it on the pitch.”
The 2005 Champions League final with Milan?
“Fundamental for my career. After 20 years we still talk about that night… The one in Istanbul is a beautiful memory, then two years later we lost against Milan but that victory in 2005 was incredible. It was 20 years ago, we have to think about tomorrow. However, Milan is the history of the Champions League, I have always followed them, since Sacchi and Capello. There have been great players and facing them is an honor for us.”
What do you expect from Milan?
“Playing against Italian teams is always difficult, you will need great patience with ball possession because they are always ready to defend low but at the same time they defend well. Paulo Fonseca’s style is clear, they have a defined idea and module. We’ll see tomorrow what type of match we will be able to play, but we want to be protagonists, we are ready.”
1.47pm, the press conference ends