Del Bosque backs Madrid to defend Champions League crown

Forum 9 years ago

Del Bosque backs Madrid to defend Champions League crown

Vicente del Bosquebelieves Real Madridare well-placed to defend their Champions League crown.
Former Madrid boss Del Bosque, now in charge of the Spain national team, has been impressed by the work of current Bernabeu chief Carlo Ancelotti and is confident they can repeat their success of last season in Berlin next May.
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He told Perform: “Real Madrid’s history is so long. There were bad moments but now they are going through bright times. They have a great team for the future and the club’s togetherness is making things work out.
“They are a complete team that have performed extraordinarily in their recent games. They are in position to repeat their Champions League triumph.”
Key to Madrid’s success has been the form of Cristiano Ronaldo but Del Bosque was too savvy to reveal who he thought was better: the Portuguese or Barcelona rival Lionel Messi.
“Messi and Ronaldo are both fantastic examples. For those who like football, we like them both. And if people like one over the other that’s normally up to the team they support. Both of them are fantastic.”
Messi and Ronaldo have been shortlisted for the 2014 Fifa Ballon d’Or but Del Bosque has suggested a German could win it following their World Cup glory in Brazil in the summer.
“This is a World Cup year and when we [Spain] won it in 2010 we would have liked one of our players to have claimed the award,” said Del Bosque reflecting on Messi’s success four years ago.
“We already know who the best players are but at the same time they will have the competence of the Germans as one of them could win it because of what they achieved as a team.
“Football is not only an individual matter but also a collective one. Germany are an excellent team full of great elements.”
Pep Guardiola is on the shortlist for coach of the year and Del Bosque is immensely proud of his countryman’s progress at Bayern Munich.
“For any Spanish manager it’s such a joy to see one of our colleagues working abroad,” he said. “And if it happens to be at a club like Bayern, which has done unbelievable things in the past, we have to feel proud for that.”