SARABIA: "IN THE BERNABÉU YOU CAN'T LOSE YOUR FOCUS FOR EVEN TEN MINUTES"

Pablo Sarabia spoke to the press before boarding the team's flight back to Spain following qualification to the last-16 of the Champions League. The midfielder looked ahead to the Nervionenses' next La Liga fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu: "Now we have to forget the Champions League and think about Real Madrid. We want to move upwards, that's the aim. It's going to be difficult but we're ready. We know we need to counter their weapons, which are many. We'll go out to play our own game. They have problems in defense and we're going to look to take advantage of that even though every one of their players is great footballers".  

 

Sarabia also touched on another factor that could shape Saturday's match: "They're going to come out to win the game. Time is on our side. We're going to work with it. They don't have a worse team but they are getting fewer results. As a squad they have great players who are extremely important. We have to be conscious not to drop our concentration for even ten minutes. It's a beautiful stage. Camp Nou and the Bernabéu are the hardest away matches but we need to see that as an extra incentive. If we win it will be a double boost in confidence".

 

He also had a very clear message: goodbye to the Champions League until the Round of 16: "Yesterday the match put us behind very early on. You have to work with that. They only wanted to stay defensively tight and any team that defends with that intensity is difficult. Luckily we scored and we have to be pleased with progression. The important thing was qualifying which is what we've done. We want an accessible draw for the next round. We're here and we know the importance of the competition and the opponents there are but now we only want to focus on the league and the cup and leave the Champions League behind - which has brought with it a lot of pressure and extra difficulties. Now we need to focus on other things".