Thursday 12 March 2009

Carvalo Considers Europe

Safely into the last eight, Ricardo Carvalho has been sharing his thoughts on this season's Champions League contenders.

The Portuguese international defender made his return to first team duties with a short sub appearance against Juventus on Tuesday evening, and now has his sights set on Rome.

'It is good to be in the quarter-finals and it is an important competition for us. Last year we arrived in the final and didn't get the trophy so it is important to do the same again, and for that we have to win our games,' he said.

At this stage of the competition, opponents will always be of the highest calibre, and Carvalho has been keeping his eye on the sides left in.

'Last night I watched Man United v Inter and also Porto v Atletico Madrid, I was flicking between the channels,' he explained. 'It will be tough, you can't choose the teams to play. They will all be difficult, but great games to watch and play in.

'Villarreal won against Panathinaikos and are doing well in the Spanish league, they have some very good players, we know some of them well like Robert Pires and Giuseppe Rossi, who is a great young player. They have quality.

'Barcelona are always strong, they are playing well and are top of the Spanish league. Normally they play good football and at home were too strong for Lyon so of course they won't be easy.

'Bayern Munich are a surprise because nobody was waiting for them to beat Sporting so easily, but they have some great players up front, Ribery, Toni, Klose and Lucio at the back,' he continued.

'They are very good and we have to respect everyone but we also have quality in our team and have the same chances as them. We have to play game after game, minute after minute to go as far as possible and play at the high level that we can.'

With all four English clubs qualified, it would be little surprise to see us drawn against one of the other Premier League teams, something most players are always keen to avoid.

'It is difficult because the English teams know the others, playing in the same league and that will always be difficult, so let's see the draw and then afterwards think of the team we get,' Carvalho said.

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