Uruguayan Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde described the 3-3 draw against Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final at the Santiago Bernabeu as "a defeat", recalling last season's 1-1 draw.
"It gives you a bit of encouragement for the second leg. We were looking for the win. The draw feels like last year, as if it was a defeat. But we have to keep going and thank the fans for the way they've supported us and we're going to fight for the first objective," he commented on Movistar+.
"The important thing is that we were able to cancel their goal. We were able to score two goals in just a few minutes and it gave us a lot of encouragement and motivation to keep pushing. But we rested a bit, we stopped pressing because we were tired and they scored a goal," he said.
He also recalled last season's second leg, when they were defeated 4-0 at the Etihad. "We have to think that if we go out with the same attitude and desire as last year we are not going to qualify," he said.