Solari defends Real over Ronaldo’s comment ahead of clash with CSKA

By : Editor

Date: 12 December 2018 5:21am WAT

Temporary coach of Real Madrid CF, Argentinian former player Santiago Solari, holds a press conference at the Ciudad Real Madrid training facilities in Madrid's suburb of Valdebebas, on October 30, 2018. - Santiago Solari has been put in temporary charge of Real Madrid after Julen Lopetegui was sacked on October 29, 2018. Solari was the coach of Madrid's B team, Castilla, and is now expected to take Madrid for their Copa del Rey game against Melilla tomorrow. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP)

Santiago Solari (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP)

Real Madrid’s squad remain humble after three consecutive Champions League triumphs, says head coach Santiago Solari.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who ended a record-breaking spell at the Santiago Bernabeu following the 3-1 Champions League final win over Liverpool, spoke favourably of the spirit between his new Juventus team-mates this week and said the club felt like “more of a family”.

Solari is charged with replicating predecessor Zinedine Zidane’s success in Europe’s top competition after replacing Julen Lopetegui on a permanent basis last month.

Madrid are already through to the knockout stages as group winners this time around, with a final round-robin game to come against CSKA Moscow today.

“Humility is a great virtue and the Real Madrid squad is great and humble,” Solari told his pre-match news conference.

“Cristiano is living history of Real Madrid and his feelings are his own.

“Madrid is great in all the values of the sport.

“We work very hard “ the technical staff, the physios and the players. All of us.”

Speaking alongside his boss, Madrid defender Alvaro Odriozola added: “I have respect for Cristiano who is a legend here in Madrid, but it is already a past.