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DORTMUND, Germany (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has insisted winning the Champions League is all that matters for the Spanish giants ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final first leg away to Borussia Dortmund.
The quest for Real’s 10th European Cup – ‘la Decima’ in Spanish – is an obsession for Madrid, while Mourinho is bidding to win the trophy with his third different team after Porto, in 2004, and Inter Milan, in 2010.
“Madrid are one of those clubs where finishing second counts for nothing. So we have to reach the final and then win that,” said the 50-year-old self-styled “Special One”.
Real last won the Champions League in 2002, but since then Barcelona – who face Bayern Munich in Tuesday’s other semi-final, first-leg – have earned a few envious looks from Madrid’s direction by winning the trophy three times, in 2006, 2009 and 2011.
Real’s Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, who was born in Gelsenkirchen, home of Dortmund’s arch-rivals Schalke 04, has said he wants to help win the semi-final to fulfil his dream of finally reaching a European final.
“I have been with Real Madrid for three years now and it is the third time we are in the semis. Now we finally want to reach the final,” said the 24-year-old.
While Dortmund are eyeing a second European Cup final, 16 years after beating Juventus in Munich to win the 1997 trophy, Madrid are aiming for their 13th final appearance overall.
Dortmund took four points off Real in the group stage, winning 2-1 at the Signal Iduna Park in October before drawing 2-2 in Madrid in the return, when Ozil scored a late equaliser.
“All four goals we conceded against Dortmund were mistakes by us,” admitted Mourinho.
“We hope we will not concede that many goals in the next games.”
Mourinho says he expects an attacking game from both sides with Dortmund’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski in outstanding form having scored in each of his last 12 Bundesliga matches.
“When I hear Juergen Klopp say that he does not want to focus too much on the way Real Madrid is playing, I believe that he will play a very attacking game and Dortmund will run and fight for every ball,” said Mourinho.
Having been forced to play second-fiddle to Barcelona in the Spanish league this season, Mourinho says he wants a convincing display from his team as they bid to reach the Champions League final on May 25 in London.
“The team has great players who give everything they have and also deserve to win this competition,” he said.
“With a few exceptions, none of them have won this competition so far and I wish it for my team that they can win the Champions League, as they deserve to do so.”
Source: vanguard
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