Ex-Real Madrid left-back Roberto Carlos has said the club has waited too long to win its 10th Champions League crown.
Los Blancos last won Europe’s elite club competition in 2002 – Zinedine Zidane’s wonder volley against Bayer Leverkusen securing the ninth European Cup for the Spanish giants.
This week they qualified for their fourth consecutive semi-final, seeing off Borussia Dortmund 3-2 overall. And now, Roberto Carlos, who was part of that famous team at Hampden Park in Glasgow 12 years ago, said the wait for La Decima has been to long now.
He told Marca: “For any Madridista the 10th European Cup is taking too long. Again we’re in the semi-final so we have to prepare well. This year is difficult, with three competitions and the obligation to win and maintain a high level for a full year.”
When asked if he felt there was a particular favourite to lift the trophy in Lisbon, he picked out Bayern Munich. But he added at this stage of the competition, every opponent is dangerous.
“I have no idea who the favourites are. Bayern Munich are playing great football. The way Atletico Madrid are playing, the history of Madrid, Chelsea with Jose Mourinho. He’s criticised a lot but for me he’s one of the best coaches in the world. A Madrid-Chelsea semi would be great but it could go either way,” he stated.