Real Madrid star Luka Modric appeared in press statements after qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Champions League via penalties against Atletico Madrid (4-2), following a 1-0 loss in the second leg and a 2-1 win in the first leg.

The player said: "I didn't think this would be our last match in the Champions League; I positively believed we would succeed in qualifying."

Regarding his participation as a starter in two consecutive matches for the first time this season: "I can't influence what is said from the outside; I am confident that I can play, and in the end, it is the coach who decides. I feel good physically and mentally. I have no problem playing one, two, three, or more games in a row; I am always ready to help the team."

He concluded: "I encouraged the players to keep fighting, stay calm, and give everything they have inside them. If you have to suffer, you have to suffer; we are used to it. This team is a machine for improvement, and we proved that again. Perhaps it wasn't our best matches, but we found a way to qualify again."