Pride for perfect Madrid and pioneering Ludogorets
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
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Carlo Ancelotti and Álvaro Arbeloa were thrilled by Real Madrid CF's perfect group stage while visiting boss Georgi Dermendzhiev declared himself delighted despite elimination.
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• Real Madrid make it six victories from as many Group B games
• Carlo Ancelotti puts 19 straight wins down to "extraordinary professionalism"
• Georgi Dermendzhiev says Ludogorets can be pleased with six displays
• Álvaro Arbeloa unafraid of any opposition in knockout phase draw
• Round of 16 draw takes place in Nyon at 12.00CET on 15 December
Carlo Ancelotti, Madrid coach
It's great to have some great options – Medrán and Nacho played well. Kroos played tonight because he was rested last week, Bale did not need a rest.
Our record is a result that the team have earned through extraordinary seriousness and professionalism. I don't get tired of saying I have an extraordinary group. Nacho hardly plays but when he does, he plays with incredible seriousness. Illarramendi found continuity – today he created more passes, playing very well with his quality.
I couldn't have imagined in September that this team could get all these victories. My relationship with the players is very good. We appreciate each other's work. This is a good moment and we must fight to make it longer.
Georgi Dermendzhiev, Ludogorets coach
I am very happy with my team's UEFA Champions League campaign. We had our chances and we could have got more points with a little more luck. The red card hurt us but I think we played a good game. We could have scored but we had no luck.
Ludogorets did so well in this debut season in the UEFA Champions League. We tried not to play all-out defence. We conceded four goals tonight but this is the Bernabéu. We gave our best, we also had chances. This a step forward for the club. The group was really hard and we can be delighted with our overall performance.
Álvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid
We've had a great group stage, getting all the points available, and therefore we are very happy. Now we have to see who we get in the draw. It is a nice bonus to claim the record of consecutive victories [by a Spanish club: 19] because those kinds of records are always nice, but we know the most important thing is to finish the season well.
Ludogorets are a determined side and a lot more difficult to beat than what people thought, but they are a side who work well and all their players fight. They made things difficult for us over there and today as well, but when they had a man sent off it was easier for us. You always try to help your team. Obviously I am a defender above all, it is where I am at my best and where I can help the side, but it was nice to score at home in front of our fans.
I do not know which side I would like to avoid in the draw. We have finished in a good position and the important thing is that we play the second leg at home. That is important for us.
Virgil Misidjan, Ludogorets forward
We had a good first 20 minutes, but after the red card it was difficult. They then started to play their football and used the ball well. It was always going to be a very difficult match against Real Madrid, and more so with ten men. Maybe quite easy for them after the red card but we never stopped trying to play our game.
To play at the Bernabéu is a dream come true. It's something you hope for as a young boy – to play in these kinds of stadiums against these types of big players. It's an amazing feeling to have played in the UEFA Champions League for this club. I came here a year and a half ago, playing in the Europa League, and now 18 months on we've competed in the Champions League – amazing.
Dani Abalo, Ludogorets midfielder
The sending-off was a shame because I think we were playing well until then. I think we gave a good account of ourselves against a top side. It was a magnificent experience to play in the Champions League, but now we have to get up and improve in our league. I think Real Madrid can win another European title. They are a great team, they play good football and they are very attacking, with a lot of the ball, so it is difficult to get it off them.
For me, it was a dream to play here in front of my friends and family. It is a shame about the result, it was not what we wanted and unfortunately we did not have more chances, but this is the Champions League. I think we have really done ourselves proud in this tournament. We have played some terrific games and we know we did ourselves justice.