Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho believes Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg at home to Borussia Dortmund is the club’s most important match in 10 years.
Dortmund won the first leg 4-1, thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s quartet, to earn a major advantage ahead of the return clash, of which in Mourinho is demanding a steely focus from his side.
“I feel this is the most important match in ten years for Real Madrid, but I also felt that in Dortmund and we played like [it was] a friendly,” Mourinho said.
“If I don’t win the Champions League nothing changes. There are many coaches who haven’t won it, so I have to thank God because I’ve done so twice.
“I have considered Borussia candidates to win the competition since the beginning of the season.”
Meanwhile, Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp urged discipline from his side as they look to book a final in the decider against either Bayern Munich or Barcelona.
“The team needs to be disciplined and compact while also looking to be daring. We’ve had this idea of how to play for a long time, it is not mine, it belongs to the team,” Klopp said.
“I didn’t invent the game. Theories are easy, it’s putting them into practice that counts.
“Nobody could have imagined we’d be here only a few years ago though we haven’t achieved anything yet.
“Anything can happen in football. We must concentrate on what happens out on the pitch tomorrow. I fully believe my team will play correctly and we will be hard to beat.”