Real Madrid defender Lucas Vazquez believes the pressure is back on the team to defend their Champions League title in 2023.
Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti enjoyed a perfect return to Madrid last summer as he secured a La Liga and Champions League double at the end of 2021/22.
Their success in Paris was a seventh Champions League title for Real Madrid, and a 14 major European title, with their famous three-in-a-row from 2017 to 2019 still a record.
However, the dominance of Real Madrid brings with it an expectation to keep on winning, and Vazquez believes that puts his team in a demanding position.
“A Champions League is not won by luck or chance. Each one is more difficult than the previous one and having achieved so many is a source of pride”, as per reports from Marca.
“The truth is, it doesn’t matter what they think outside. It doesn’t bother us what they say, it’s just another motivation for us.
“Last year we weren’t favourites and we won it. It doesn’t depend on us, we have to try to win it, and that’s what we do every year.”
Real Madrid look set to cruise on into the last 16 in the coming weeks as they face Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw tomorrow night.
Los Blancos have secured a maximum of nine points from three games so far in Group F, with wins over Shakhtar, RB Leipzig and Celtic, and a fourth victory will seal their knockout spot.