Real Madrid have released a full transcript of dressing room tactics being discussed ahead of the Champions League final.
Los Blancos beat Liverpool 3-1 in May’s final in Kiev, with Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric seen discussing tactics pre-match – including getting close to forwards Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane and allowing full-backs Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold to have possession.
Right-back Carvajal is seen urging his teammates to “be close to their three forwards” during the game.
Real captain Ramos famously did get close to Salah, with his first half challenge on the Egyptian injuring his shoulder and forcing him out of the match.
Here’s the full transcript of the conversation, which was tweeted by the Real Twitter account:
💬🏆 @SergioRamos, @DaniCarvajal92 and @lukamodric10 talk tactics around the massage table ahead of the Champions League final! #EnElCorazónDeLaDecimotercera pic.twitter.com/Invw7wWV4V
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) 23 September 2018
Carvajal: “We have to put a lot of pressure on them. They get the ball back and combine fast.
“If we can stop that, and be close to their three forwards, and boom. Quickly. They try to get out of the pressure? We have to be there.
“If they keep it, fine. Let’s keep them 40 metres away.”
Ramos: “We have to avoid silly fouls on the sides. They are very strong in the air. We’ll get them in the counter attack.
“Same thing with the second chances. We have to communicate well all the time. In every ball they clear, we have to keep our mark until the end.”
Carvajal: “If their full backs go way up, you can’t chase them all the time. Because by minute 60 you’ll be dead.”
Modric: “Let’s pick our battles. Just like we did against Juventus, you know? We played the same way, and they did too. Let their full-backs have the ball.”
Carvajal: “Yes. Exactly. We just let them have it there.”
