"I keep getting nervous in these finals"

The Copa del Rey trophy travelled on Monday by train from Madrid to Seville, where next Saturday Barcelona and Real Madrid will fight for it, and one of its ‘guardians’, the Portuguese Pepe, champion with the 'Merengues' in 2011 and 2014, attended to ‘EFE’ to talk about the match. Pepe and Julio Salinas, a former Barcelona player, acted as ambassadors for the finalist clubs on the journey that took the trophy to Seville on Wednesday.

The former Real Madrid defender reviewed the current situation of Carlo Ancelotti's team and shared memories of the final they won in 2011 against the Catalan side (1-0) with a goal by his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo. "I keep getting nervous in these finals, the feeling for Madrid is very special. Anyone who has been there knows that, watching your team play, and especially against a great opponent like Barcelona, even more so," said the Portuguese footballer.

Pepe pointed out that before these matches he slept “well”, but acknowledged that, as the match approached, he became “more nervous”, although when he had more experience “when it was time to warm up, the nerves went away”. 

The former Portuguese international player stressed that before this type of matches he studied “very well the opponents, especially the strikers, those who were starting and those who could come in later”. "I would also take deep breaths and then face the match as if it were my last to give the best for my team," he added.