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What's the story?
Real Madrid boss Santiago Solari reportedly gave his team an inspiring speech at half-time during their Champions League Round of 16 clash against Ajax on Wednesday night. The contents of the speech have been revealed by Spanish publication Marca.
In case you didn't know...
The defending champions registered a controversial win over the Dutch giants as a Nicolas Tagliafico goal was ruled out for offside after Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervention.
Karim Benzema found the net for Los Blancos in the second half of the game but a Hakim Ziyech equaliser cancelled it out fifteen minutes later. A late goal from Marco Asensio, however, secured a crucial win for Solari's side.
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos' comments on his yellow card after the game also stirred up some controversy. The Spaniard was shown a yellow for a challenge on Ajax striker Kasper Dolberg in the second half.
The defender admitted that he deliberately earned the booking so that he could serve the ban before the quarter-finals and is now under investigation by the UEFA for the comments.
The heart of the matter
Marca has now claimed that a certain speech given by Solari in the locker room at the break was the inspiration for the win.
The publication reported the Real Madrid coach as saying, "We can't play with two or three senses; we have to play with five and look inside for the sixth."
"There are times when we play the game with intent but tonight, we also have to answer back with bite."
"We must advance, and everyone individually must move further forward and stick to our men like they are," he said.
"With two short combinations, we will open up areas and that can open up many possibilities for us."
The Argentine manager reportedly also addressed individual players and helped them go over tactical details.
What's next?
Real Madrid will now shift their focus to La Liga where they are set to face Girona on Sunday.
