Yurente: We Are Still Alive, and We Will Fight in the Return Leg

Spanish right-back Marcos Llorente of Atletico Madrid expressed his confidence in his team's ability to turn the tables and qualify for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, despite losing to Real Madrid 2-1 in the first leg of the Round of 16 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Atletico Madrid will have a chance for redemption when they host their traditional rivals next Wednesday at the Wanda Metropolitano, in a match that will determine who advances to the next round.

Llorente was candid after the match, stating: "We are still alive in the competition, and we need to correct our mistakes and fight hard in the return leg to achieve qualification."

He spoke about the importance of the upcoming match at Metropolitano, saying: "We have an additional 90 minutes at home and in front of our fans, which gives us a great motivation. We are excited about this opportunity and know we are capable of delivering a strong performance."

Regarding the difficulty of facing Real Madrid, Llorente explained: "Real Madrid is a fast and dangerous team, and any moment of distraction could cost us a lot. They are a great team, so we must maintain full concentration throughout the match, avoid repeating mistakes, and play with solid defensive organization, while constantly monitoring their key players."

Llorente concluded his remarks by praising the level of the attackers and their impact in such matches, saying: "In these decisive encounters, great players shine. We saw Julian Alvarez score a fantastic goal out of nowhere, and we hope he continues to excel at this high level."