Real Madrid midfielder Thiago Petaric appeared in a press statement following the 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

The young star said in his interview: "In the end, these are the types of matches we always play in FIFA. I am very happy with the win, the way the match went, and our performance from the first minute to the last."

He added: "I will always be grateful to Arbeloa because he gave me his full trust. I always try to repay him. He asks me to have a strong character and to play in the way I know, which is what got me here, and that's what I strive for. Not to let the pressure of the game confuse me, to play in the way I know, to run and fight, and that's what I always try to do."

He continued, "I am very happy, but I am not overly confident because we have another match in Manchester. We have to play there with the same performance we showed today from the first minute. I am sure the match will go well if we play at this level."

Regarding his relationship with Arbeloa: "I have a very good relationship with him. As I mentioned, he gives me a lot of confidence and I am very grateful for that. He congratulated me on the match and told me to keep it up."

He concluded about the second leg match: "I think the result will be somewhat close because everything went in our favor today as well. We must maintain this desire, this spirit, and strive for more."