Real Madrid head coach Alberto Toril believes that reaching the semi-final of the Champions League is crucial for the progress of the team together.
Madrid Welcome Arsenal, who are second in the Women's Super League, to the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano in the first stage of their quarterfinals collision on Tuesday.
Toril has been in charge of Las Blancas since 2021, but still has to win a great honor with the club, where Barcelona has dominated the domestic titles in Spain.
They finished second in group B behind Chelsea of Sonia Bompastor and reached the last eight of the competition for the second time during the Toril term of office.
This will be the very first competitive encounter between the two parties, although Madrid is without earlier meetings with English parties in the Champions League Winless, all of whom came to Chelsea (D2 L4).
And Toril expects another strict test against another strong outfit of the WSL, but is convinced that his players can go one step further than in 2021-22.
“I expect a close bond between two teams that are really doing well. I am really looking forward to this quarterfinals,” Toril said.
“This is the second time we have reached this phase, and reaching the semi -final would be an important step in our progress. I think we are ready.”
¡Últimos preparativos! pic.twitter.com/8e4r3jj6ij
– Real Madrid CF (@Realmadridfem) 17 March 2025
Real is impressed by this year's competition, with only Rivals Barcelona (26) score more goals than the Toril team (20) in the Champions League group phase of this season.
In the meantime, Arsenal comes into play with great confidence after he was revitalized in the competition, because Renee Sleesers Jonas Eidevall replaced.
The Gunners have each won of their last five Champions League matches, their joint longest ever winning series ever in the competition (also five between September 2012 and March 2013).
However, Arsenal did not succeed in winning their last three-out matches in the knockout phase of the competition, however, (D1 L2), since Slavia Prague beat 5-2 in the Ronde 2019-20 of 16.
But Toril said it was necessary for his players to stay fully focused on both legs to ensure that they continue to the semi -final phase.
“My players must get a grip on the most important moments of each stage of the draw. There will be many matches in the match itself,” Toril added.
“We have to control the situations and take the game to where it suits us, starting with possession, are well positioned in order not to afford too much space, stretch out the game and always be in it.”
Comments