Pellegrini driven by final ambition

Manuel Pellegrini has made a terrific start as Real Madrid CF coach. Los Merengues sit joint top of the Spanish Liga after five victories and kicked off their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 5-2 win at FC Zürich. As the 56-year-old Chilean is the first to admit, though, what matters most is how his star-studded side finish the season; and with the UEFA Champions League final being played at the Santiago Bernabéu, where they welcome Olympique de Marseille on Wednesday, there is one particular goal in mind.

uefa.com: Is winning the UEFA Champions League your main objective?

Manuel Pellegrini: Yes, because it would be Real Madrid's tenth European Cup and also the final will be played at our stadium. We have put together a formidable squad to try to achieve this.

uefa.com: Are you encouraged by results so far?

Pellegrini: Of course. It has been too long since Madrid had a proper run in the Champions League. There is a weight of expectation because the club are favourites and have won it so many times. Even more so this year with the final at the Bernabéu. For Madrid to win the cup for a tenth time and at our own stadium is a great challenge, and we are all optimistic.

uefa.com: How strong is your UEFA Champions League group given it features three former European champions in yourselves, Marseille and AC Milan?

Pellegrini: They are great teams who believe they can win the Champions League. But whether you are talking about Zürich or Barcelona, you have to treat opponents with the same respect.

uefa.com: Madrid have not reached the quarter-finals since 2003/04. Why do you think that is?

Pellegrini: It is not something I can talk about because I wasn't around then. What interests me is how Madrid do this year. A club like ours should not be losing in the first knockout round of the Champions League.

uefa.com: Would it be a failure not to get to the final?

Pellegrini: I never put myself in negative situations unless they happen. If we don't achieve our aim, and hopefully that won't happen, we'll evaluate whether it was failure or bad luck, but we believe we are capable of reaching this final.

uefa.com: How difficult is it to manage so many star names?

Pellegrini: It's not difficult – they would not be great players if they weren't great people. We have assembled a world-class squad, and if the players understand it is a collective effort it will be easier for them. There are so many games and by rotating the squad everyone will feel part of it – some more than others – but it's the collective that raises the individual. We talk to the players about this because it's very important they understand. We have the potential to win everything and that's what we intend to do.

uefa.com: You came from Villarreal to Madrid where the pressure is enormous. How do you deal with it?

Pellegrini: The pressures at Villarreal and Madrid are the same for me. I was fortunate to be at Villarreal for five years, and for what we achieved there – semi-finals, quarter-finals of the Champions League, second and third in the Liga – I made demands and put pressure on myself and the players. External pressure doesn't affect me. Of course Madrid are much bigger so there is pressure from the media, but a coach's work must be totally independent of the media. I have great belief in what I do and the pressure is exactly the same, so the media won't influence me.

uefa.com: Is there one Madrid player who has impressed you most?

Pellegrini: No. Truth is they are all great players. Each arrived here having been the player at their club – Ronaldo at Man United, Kaká in Milan, Benzema at Lyon. The challenge is to get them working together. Plus, there were already big players at Madrid and they may have to adapt to new roles. It's important I get to know their characters to mould them into a great team.

uefa.com: Barcelona won the treble last term. How can Madrid usurp them?

Pellegrini: By playing better football. Those five years at Villarreal got me to Madrid and during that time my team played really good football. We played Barcelona many times and I don't think we lost more than we won. It was level-pegging. The way I am, think and coach got me to Madrid and I will use the same weapons to surpass Barcelona or any other team, playing spectacular football to ensure the fans leave the stadium happy. Without playing well it is very difficult to achieve your goals.

Manuel Pellegrini spoke to uefa.com at the UEFA Elite Coaches Forum in Nyon.