"The team is as united as ever and will give its all on the pitch"


Sergio Ramos embodies the spirit of the Real Madrid squad prior to the Champions League semifinals against Barcelona. The defender and second team captain analysed the coming fixtures with the eternal foe for Realmadrid.com.

Great victory against Valencia on Saturday. The team played a serious and solid game.
I’m happy with, and proud of, the team we have. I believe all Madridistas who saw the game enjoyed themselves watching footballers who normally don’t get a chance to play. They proved this side doesn’t just have eleven important players. We are all equally important and we live up to expectations on the pitch. Kaka, Canales, Granero and Higuain played at Mestalla. The latter has just recovered from a serious injury and was very excited to be starter. They all responded.

Regular starters are probably even more excited to play in the Champions League. The entire squad is focused on the semifinals…
It is essential for us to reach such a crucial stage in the campaign, and it is important that all men on the squad get playing time. We all have the same excitement and we all want to help out. The squad as a whole is what really matters, not individual players. The team is more united than ever and we all want to accomplish important things. We are on the right path. We proved it at Mestalla and we do so in every training session.

The support of the Bernabeu will be essential once more against Barcelona.
That’s right. We are all very proud of the crowd’s response this season. There was a change during the campaign by which our fans became even more devoted and excited. It happened when we faced Olympique Lyonnais, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona at the Bernabeu. It’s the fans who have to score the first goal for us. Every visiting side at the Bernabeu has to be weary of the atmosphere. They must really be aware of what it means to play at a stadium like ours. Our fans are essential to us and they are the ones we are really grateful to.

How do you expect the Bernabeu to react on Wednesday?
You don’t expect less than what it’s been like in recent games because you get used to that. The response of the crowd is essential to us. We expect the Bernabeu to embrace its team, to give us support to the very last minute and to never doubt we will give our all on the pitch. I believe that is precisely what the fans are grateful for. Those are the values the club instills and we must showcase them on the pitch.

How is the squad feeling before such an important game?
It is more united than ever. We are all extremely excited about the times we are living. The Champions League is a very important competition and it is at stake for us. Now is when we must show everyone how excited we are.

How’s Mourinho doing?
He is as relaxed as he always is. The coach never changes his philosophy, style and habits. He has a clear idea of what he wants and we will continue to work in the same way. We will not modify our work for any team.

Over 25,000 visitors have walked through its doors since Monday
Realmadrid.com

Over 25,000 visitors have passed through the Bernabeu Tour doors since last Monday and it is expected that 30,000 will have taken the tour by the end of Easter weekend.

Over 4,000 visitors took the tour on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday each saw more than 3,000 fans at the stadium and on Thursday over 4,000 more stopped by. The weekened has seen more than 10,000 visitors, making the Bernabeu Tour one of Madrid's main attractions over the Easter holiday. One of the favorite stops on the tour has been at the replica of the Copa del Rey trophy, won last week against Mestalla. Also on display is the shirt worn in the final and the champions' t-shirt.

The Bernabeu Tour includes panoramic views of the stadium, a walk through the Presidential Balcony, the dressing rooms, the benches, the tunnel and the coaching area. It all starts with a trip down memory lane in the Trophy Room,  where all the football and basketball teams' awards on display along with other historic memorabilia.