Oblake: My annual wish is to win the Champions League. Liverpool is a huge challenge for Atletico Madrid

In the first round of the Champions League, Atletico Madrid will play away against Liverpool. Before the game, Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Oblak was interviewed by "Marca". The Slovenian goalkeeper is about to usher in his 500th game in the Bedding Legion, and he is ambitious for the Champions League journey in the new season. He not only wants to continue to make history, but also wants to win the championship.

Q: Does it make you feel special when you welcome your 500th game at Anfield?

Answer: This is indeed a beautiful memory. I didn’t know that this game would be my 500th game. Hopefully I can stay healthy and play. I remember the last showdown was the last game before the pandemic, the stadium was full and we won, so these memories were very beautiful.

Q: The team ushered in the Champions League after defeating Villarreal. How do you view the team's status?

Answer: I think the team is in good shape. It was really hard for us to not win the first few games, but I don’t think we did as bad as the results were. The victory against Villarreal is very important, and these three points gave the team a lot of confidence and allowed us to welcome the new season in the best way. It’s not easy for new players to start, but they all come for victory, which is what we all aim for.

Q: What is the difference between the game and Villarreal?

Answer: In previous games, we failed to seize the opportunity at some moments, such as not being able to score the second goal when we led 1-0, but instead equalized the score by our opponent. This time we did not let this happen. Villarreal also had a chance to equalize, but we performed well in the end and won. Details often determine the outcome of the game, and this time these details finally benefit us.

Q: For Atletico Madrid, how important is it to keep a clean sheet every week?

Answer: It is always very important to keep a clean sheet, not only for Atletico Madrid, but for all clubs. A clean sheet can bring confidence to the entire team, and defensive players will also be more confident. Offensive players know that if the defense is solid, they don't need to bear much pressure to score goals. This is a relief for the forwards, knowing that sometimes a goal is enough. Not conceding the ball is the effort of the whole team, especially when avoiding conceding the ball in set pieces and simple cooperation is very important.

Q: How do you deal with Liverpool, which spends more than 400 million euros to sign?

Answer: Liverpool is a very strong team, not only new players, but also their performance last season and before. They have great players and play very well, which is a huge challenge for us. Not only do we have to strive for a clean sheet, but we also have to strive for points, because the start of the Champions League is very important and we cannot lose points. It will be a tough game, especially at a stadium like Anfield.

Q: Atletico Madrid is now a regular visitor to the Champions League. What are your expectations for the Champions League this year?

Answer: Every year when the Champions League starts, my wish is to win the championship. Although it has not been fulfilled, it has always been my wish and I always actively think that this is possible. The journey is long, we have to come one by one. Whenever we start, we all want to win and win the Champions League. We know this road will be difficult and we need to maintain stability and strive for the end.

Q: As an old player, how do you and other experienced players help new players?

Answer: Those of us who have been on the team for a long time always do our best to help new players. We are always here to provide advice and support to help them adapt to their new environment. It’s not easy to adapt to new clubs, new systems and new ways of working, but we’ve always supported them here. We are a home-wide club where new players feel the power of the team. No matter what the outcome, we will be together and help each other, and no one will be isolated.

Q: Last season you won the Zamora Award again and became the goalkeeper with the most awards in history. What does that mean?

Answer: This is a very beautiful thing and an achievement that is not easy to achieve. But I have always said that I am willing to trade some personal awards for the club's collective honor. These awards will eventually become history, which means they are difficult to obtain. We have done this, but individual awards are not as important as collective honors to me. I hope we can achieve collective honors this year.

source:7m cn livescore