Real Madrid's right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold, appeared in a press statement following the 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

The English star said after the match: "We delivered a great performance. There was a lot of noise when the draw was made and before this match, especially with our performance and results... Many expected us to suffer a heavy defeat tonight."

He added: "What we did shows our mentality. It doesn't matter the injuries we suffer or the absence of some players. This tournament is extremely important for the club, and we as players understand that. We enter the field with the fans supporting us in this way, and victory is possible for any team. We executed the game plan perfectly, we were confident before this match. We knew our game plan, we executed it, and we scored our goals with great determination."

He emphasized: "The magnitude of the match is the most important thing. I don't want to say that other matches are less important, but when there is all this excitement around a match and all eyes are on it, you know you have to give your best. When you play for a club like this, the expectation is to win."

He concluded: "I can't find enough words to describe Federico Valverde as a player. He is undoubtedly one of the most underrated footballers in the world. When you play with him, you realize how much he gives to the team. He covers every inch of the field and gives his utmost effort. The best thing a player can have is that his teammates can always rely on him, and he never lets us down."