The Week in Quotes - WORLD FOOTBALL
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"My thoughts aren't about that. It's about the fact we put in a performance Tuesday, and that's our aim. Looking forward, we have to make sure we're competitive, but every game we go into, we try to get a result.''
Drawn with Atletico Madrid the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare is not concerned with the fact that the Foxes are the only English club left in Europe’s top club competition this season
“Lewandowski is incredible. I have played with great forwards here. Luca Toni was magnificent, later Gomez and Klose. But Robert is probably the most complete of all."
Franck Ribery explains why he believes Bayern Munich team-mate Robert Lewandowski is the currently best player in world football, in an interview with Bild
"Conte, for me, is the best coach because he's a genius. He works every day, every single moment for soccer, for the team, every small detail and on the field, the players play very good. With Juventus, I was with this coach for three years. We won the league, but every day was stronger in training. Maybe now it's the same at Chelsea."
Speaking to ESPN FC, Andrea Pirlo gave some insight into Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and his experiences of working under him at Juventus and the Italian national team
“I wouldn’t say that it’s a final, but it is a decisive match. I need to take the team away from the last two finals they played in. They didn’t lose them. They just lost on penalties. There’s always been rivalry with Chile, but we need to boil it down to this one game, which is an important one against a direct rival. The only thing that should be in our minds is that if we beat them, we overtake them.”
Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza told FIFA.com he is not concerned about the recent history between his side and Chile ahead of Thursday’s crucial clash between the two South American rivals in 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ qualifying
“It’s the first time in my career as a manager when I feel that now is the moment you have to see yourself like a manager. That’s the first time. For the other ones, I was so lucky managing and training big clubs. Now is the first time I want to help the team, so people say: ‘Wow, Pep could do that again at a team in England and at Manchester City’. I love this club and want to be here for a long long time. I want to try to do it.”
Despite their exit from this season’s UEFA Champions League on Wednesday and sitting 10 points adrift of English Premier League leaders Chelsea, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is relishing the chance to prove his worth as a coach at his current club
“We’d just started to recover from the flooding when the earthquake happened. It all happened so fast. My house collapsed in less than a minute, and with it went everything, including all the money I’d worked so hard to save through football. It was a blessing not to lose anyone, but how was I supposed to go and start from square one?”
Having led Ecuador to their first qualification for a FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, goalkeeper Carlos Saltos spoke of the personal challenges that both himself and his team-mates have faced in the last year, in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com
"I'm not David Beckham. I don't compare myself to such a legend. I think it's great for me to score a goal like this. I tried the same thing a few years ago when I played for PSV and I hit the bar. This time, I got lucky. I realised in the first half that the keeper was off his line all the time. We put on pressure, I looked at him, and as soon as we won the ball I knew where he was, so all I had to do was turn and just do it - don't think, just shoot. I didn't even see the ball go in, I just saw the stadium going crazy. I think I've scored the best goal of my life. Aside from that, I'm very happy because the team has taken an important victory.”
Despite scoring against Toulouse from the centre circle last weekend, Lyon’s Memphis Depay refused to compare his wonder goal to that of former England captain David Beckham’s famous halfway-line effort for Manchester United against Wimbledon in 1996 during an interview with Canal+
“I asked them to not leave anything on the pitch and leave no regrets and they certainly done that. [Tigres] were the better team on the night. The game panned out as I thought it would in relation to the type of game it was. We knew they'd have lots of possession and try and put us under pressure in certain ways. It was disappointing that the goals came from two little details that we didn't get right. We've got a second leg, and we're still very much in the tie, if we can get that first goal.”
Speaking to MLSsoccer.com, Vancouver Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson expressed pride in his players’ efforts versus Mexican club Tigres UANL, despite losing the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League semi-final tie 2-0 in Mexico on Tuesday
“I think Jose Mourinho wrote a good part of the history of Chelsea. He won a lot with the players. He did a great job here in Chelsea. It’s important, always, not to forget this. I have great respect for him because he’s a winner. I like his mentality. He has a winning mentality. For sure, he’s one of the best in the world and, here, he did a great job. I think every single fan must respect him. Would I like to write a history like him and leave like a hero? In the future, I hope so. His history with Chelsea was great. I know very well he’s in the heart of Chelsea’s fans. It’s great this because he deserves it. For sure, I hope in the future to emulate his wins here.”
Before Monday’s English FA Cup quarter-final clash versus Manchester United, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte praised United counterpart Jose Mourinho for his successful coaching spells with the Stamford Bridge outfit
"We are in good shape, both physically and psychologically. Now we are going into the most important part of the season. Great players work all year to be ready for these moments... to win competitions. Together, we can have a great finale to the campaign. I am aware of how important the Champions League is for the Bianconeri and the history of this club. I too, like all the Juventini, want to dream and am convinced we can do it if we stay calm and show no fear of making mistakes… then we can go all the way."
In an interview with Juventus’ official television channel Jtv, Dani Alves believes the Italian giants have what it takes to win the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League title
“In 2017, I definitely aim to stay fit, healthy and as injury-free as possible until the end of the season. I also want to win the league and the Champions League. I still haven’t won that one yet.”
In a conversation with FIFA.com, former Germany midfielder Melanie Behringer revealed her ambitions to succeed domestically and in the UEFA Women’s Champions League with her club Bayern Munich
"It's a big gamble, [Caixinha] doesn't really know much about Scottish football. I don't think you can prepare yourself for the Old Firm. He was in Mexico - which is very similar to Major League Soccer - for three years, [and] he won three trophies. I don't think you can compare the MLS and Mexico to the [Scottish] Premiership [because the] MLS is a little bit better. He's a good coach, but he needs investment, that's all he needs."
Former Scotland international Maurice Johnston thinks new Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha needs investment to improve the squad at his old club and mount a more serious challenge to Old Firm rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership
“I think he’s a phenomenal player, and America has a fantastic midfielder there. I know Kellyn enough to know he will keep his feet on the ground knowing the journey is really long, and I hope for him he keeps helping the team and helping himself with these kinds of performances.”
FC Dallas coach Oscar Pareja was full of praise for midfielder Kellyn Acosta following his superb free-kick strike that earned the MLS club a 2-1 victory in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League semi-final tie with Mexican outfit Pachuca