RONALDO: “We are in good form and we have to take advantage of it”

Cristiano Ronaldo spoke about the team’s situation going in to the Champions League final during the Open Media Day: "I feel good, in good form. Now I'm better physically than in other seasons. It has been smart management by Zidane and also thanks to my teammates. The team is in good form and we have to take advantage of it. We have the historic opportunity to do the double and on Saturday night we hope to win the Champions League".

"We must go in to the match with humility but showing attitude and character, showing that we are better. Juventus are a great team but I think we are better. I have the feeling that we are going to have a great game and win. I hope the fans are with us on Saturday. We are thinking positively and Hala Madrid! ".

Isco: "We can go down in Champions League history"
"We are really looking forward to the final. We’re coming in to it in good shape and with good feelings. The team looks in good shape to me. It's been a really nice season and we want it to be even more so with the Cardiff final. We’re going to give everything. We can get a double, retain the title and go down in Champions League history. It's a big motivation and there's only one step left".

Benzema: "We’re feeling good ahead of the final"
"The group is perfect and in good spirits after winning the league. We’re going to work now towards Saturday and we have good feelings. On Saturday we’ll go out and win for the madridistas, who are very important. Zidane is doing very well. All players feel important. Anyone can stand in for any teammate perfectly. That's thanks to him, because he talks to all the players and gives them all minutes". "Juventus are a very solid team. Defensively the best in the world but we have a lot of firepower up top and they have to be worried about us. We’ll fight to the death for la Duodécima".

Kroos: "Juventus are a very good team in defence"
"It's amazing to win the league, but the Champions League is always special to me. I hope we win two in a row, but we don’t need that motivation. We’re ready for the final and we have no injuries. There is no magic recipe to win this title, you need a great team and to give the maximum in important matches. It’ll be a difficult match, as Juventus have shown they are very strong and very good in defence".

Casemiro: "If we win the Champions League it will be a perfect year"
"We don’t have to do anything different for the final. It’s been a very good year and if we win the Champions League it will be perfect. We have to continue like this and we have everything in our hands to make history. The squad is very close, working hard, and we’re all focussed. We are a family".

Lucas Vázquez: “We're full of confidence" 
“The team has been at an incredible level for a number of years. You have to credit what we're doing and hopefully we can top it off on Saturday with the Champions League. We'll have to play a disciplined game against strong opposition if we're going to win. The coach has had the whole squad focussed throughout the season and playing at the highest level. We're full of confidence and hungry to win it”.

 Marcelo: “We've just won LaLiga and now we're ready for Cardiff"

“We're ready. We're in a great place physically and mentally. We've got the chance to win Champions Leagues in a row, another huge title. We've just won LaLiga and now we're ready for Cardiff”.
“Finals are always about fighting, battling and we've got to give it all we've got to win and dedicate it to the fans. Playing in a final is a wonderful moment and we've got to enjoy it. We're going to give it everything out on the pitch in order to win it”.

Modric: “We've got to stick together and fight to the end”

“We're ready for the final. We've got to do the things the same as we've been doing them all season, stick together and fight to the end. I hope we can go down in Champions League history and bring the trophy back to Madrid and celebrate with the madridistas. I'm expecting a very tough game, as is always the case against the Italian teams. Everyone's talking about Juventus' defence, but you don't make it to the final just on defence. We've got our weapons, we've scored in every game this season and that gives us confidence”.

Carvajal: “Juventus have enormous potential”
“I hope we can go down in history by becoming the first team to win two Champions Leagues in a row, add to our trophy cabinet and be champions of Europe once again. We're going to go out and play for it from minute one"."We know Juventus have enormous potential, only great teams make it to the final, and it's going to be a very tough match. We want the fans to get behind us, we want to feel their passion, and we're going to give it our all out on the pitch”.

Asensio: “We can make it a historic year for this club”
“It's been a great season for me and a Champions League final is something you dream about when you're a kid. We're going to give it everything to try and win it and we can round off a historic year for this club. It'll be a difficult game, Juventus defend very well but they've got quality up top as well and they can hurt us. We've got to minimise mistakes at the back and play our game. We'll have chances to win it”.

Nacho: “The team is well prepared and looking strong”
“These games are special and we can't wait for the moment to arrive. The team is well prepared and looking strong. They're very tough games where you have to work extremely hard, faced with very tough opposition. It's hugely important that we come into the game in great physical shape because the coach has rotated well. From a mental point of view, we've already won LaLiga and that gives us a morale boost going into this game. Now it's the most important step and we need to stick together in order to lift another Champions League trophy”.

 Zidane: “The team goes in to the final confident and in very good physical shape”

Zinedine Zidane responded to questions from the media on the open day that was held at Real Madrid City. The Whites’ coach analysed the match against Juventus, which will be played on Saturday at 8:45pm (CEST): "We’re very happy to be in the final. We know how difficult it is to get there and we’ve worked very well during the year. We deserve to be in the final and the team is going in to it in very good physical shape and we’re confident. There are four days left and we’re focused on what we have to do".
  "There is no difference between the final in Milan and this one. The most important thing is to get to the final. There are no favourites in finals. Juventus are a great team and what we all want is to see a good match".

Juventus
"Not much will change if they play with two or three centre backs. They’re a solid team and they know how to play both ways. What interests me is trying to cause them problems. We’ll see on Saturday. Juventus have got a lot of good players, but in offensive terms Dybala is one of the best. Higuaín and Alves are also good. The same goes for Real Madrid. They’re all good".

"I played at Juventus for five years and I’ve got good memories of that time. It's a special final. Each team will play their own final and the important thing is to see a nice match. I don’t think there are two different approaches. You have to play the final and I don’t think there are differences between the two teams. That's why we're both in the final".

The highest scoring team against the team that has conceded least
"It's a final and it could last 90 minutes or more. They don’t concede many and we score a lot but that won’t influence what is going to happen. We’ll prepare in the best way possible because it’s the two best teams playing the final. When you reach the final you deserve it because of the work during the whole season. They also did very well and are also league champions. It's going to be a very nice match".

Pressure in the final?
"The pressure is more noticeable, for sure. In a normal press conference there’s 25 of you and today there’s a lot more. That says a lot about this game but everyone likes to play in finals. Everyone likes them. We are in another Champions League final and it’s very nice. We're going to prepare well for it." "It’s the last game of the season and as it’s the last one, it’s the most important one, but we’ll prepare it like the rest of the games because we’ll not change anything what we do and more so now".

Real Madrid values
"We know: commitment, we do everything possible to win. It was the best club of the last century and now has 115 years of history. You can play well or badly, but the important thing is to fight until the last minute. This club has taught me that and the captain represents these values ​​very well. He is also a very noble person and that is worth even more".

Double
"We always believe and thanks to the work of the whole team we are in the final. We’re very close to doing it and we’re the first to be so close to doing it for so many years. It’s been thanks to the work throughout the whole year. When you work hard at the end you get the rewards like this, but we have not won anything yet".

Bale
"We’re happy that he is with us because he is an important player. I'm glad to see he’s recovered. We’re going to prepare for the match together, as always, and we’re all prepared".

"Gareth doesn’t have to say anything to me. He’s ready, with us, and really excited. Playing at home and that’s that. The players are motivated and I'm only interested about that. We’ve time to prepare for the game. Today we’re going to do basic things because the press are here, but starting tomorrow we will prepare for the game".

Bale or Isco?
"The decision is difficult because everyone is available and I will have to choose between the entire squad. It’s normal to have the debate because they are two very good and important players. What the press says will not influence me. We know what we’re going to do and the important thing is to be prepared and focused".We always believe and thanks to the work of the whole team we are in the final. "Both are very good players and they’ve also played together this year in 16 games. They can play together and the important thing is that they come in to this final stretch of the season in very good shape. Bale has had less minutes but is already recovered from his injury and we already know the player Isco is. The most important thing is to see the players on top form".

Isco
"He deserves it just like the rest. There are players who are not going to be called up and that is what bothers me the most because they are all important. I have to think about the line-up and the bench because there are players who have had an extraordinary year and are going to miss out on the squad. That's the hardest thing for me".

The season
"The most important thing is to always give 100%. That’s how we have done things during the season, giving everything, with a lot of professionalism and we can be happy for what we have done until now. We have another final and we’ll try to do everything we can to win the match".

His future
"I have one more year on my contract but that doesn’t mean anything. I want to be at this club but it depends on what you do on the field. I think the club is happy with what we’re doing and I’m only interested in that. The future: Saturday and nothing else".

"I have the Real Madrid DNA, that's for sure. It’s my home. Everyone has always been very affectionate towards me and I have always defended the values ​​of this club. I’ve experienced spectacular things with this club as a player, assistant coach and head coach. I’ll always be a Real Madrid fan because the club is my life".

  Zidane style on the bench
"It's just a philosophy and a thing I wanted to do with this team and this squad. With another team, I might have done something else. I did what I wanted to do with these players and I'm happy, but you know how football is changing. I am positive and always try to give everything and lead the team. What the players are doing is phenomenal".

"I’m enjoying this moment because I know that one day it’ll end. I’m on top of my job and we’re close to doing something extraordinary, but I’m not thinking about of leaving an important mark in the history of the club. We work hard and that's the spirit of this team".

Memories of the final in Amsterdam
"Difficult. Bad. When you lose a final it’s a horrible feeling but it’s part of football. I accept what football has given me. When I arrived at this club I had to win the Champions League and I got it with this white shirt. I was happy after".

League celebrations
"After we won the league it was something spectacular. I'm still feeling it and I'm very happy".

Stories about Cristiano Ronaldo
"No one likes it when people talk about his players and he doesn’t like it either, but he knows how to disconnect and focuses on the Champions League. He's focused on what he has to do and that's it".

James
"He looks good to me, he's focused and concentrating on what he has to do. A player like him would have liked to have played more this season, but I have to decide. He’s been very important throughout the season and when he’s played, he’s done very well".

 

LaLiga, European and Club World Champions All Within A Year

 Real Madrid lead the way in the honours stakes in each of these competitions.

On 28 May 2016, Real Madrid prevailed in the Milan showpiece to lift their 11th European Cup and further enhance their legacy in the competition. Following a highly successful year, the Whites can now lay claim to being the reigning LaLiga, European and club world champions. On the domestic front, Madrid lead the way in terms of titles won with 33 league crowns to their name, which sees them outperfom Barcelona, who have secured 24 titles.
The Whites are also dominant on the continental stage, with no other club having captured more than the Whites' 11 European titles. AC Milan, with seven continental trophies, are Madrid's nearest pursuers in these stakes. In addition, in December 2016, Real Madrid claimed their Second Club World Cup. Alongside the three Intercontinental Cup crowns, the Whites boast five world club champion titles, which is one more than AC Milan's four. Finally, at the start of the 2016/17 campaign, the team claimed the club's third UEFA Super Cup.

How To Stop Night Time Anxiety

It's been a long, tiring day and you're feeling shattered. Finally you crawl into bed, physically exhausted and ready for a good night's sleep… only to find your mind has other ideas. Instead of drifting off into weightless slumber, your brain fires up, your pulse quickens and your head becomes crowded with endless worries you thought had been parked for the day.

"Around 80% of people say their worries whirlwind out of control at night,'"says Nicky Lidbetter, chief executive of support group Anxiety UK. "With stress, we tend to worry about a specific, tangible problem. But with anxiety, we're less aware of what we're worrying about, so our reaction becomes the problem and we start feeling anxious about being anxious."

And even if we do initially drop off, those worries can still crowd in if we wake up during the night. "The classic time to wake up seems to be between 2am and 4am," adds Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, author of Fast Asleep, Wide Awake. "Suddenly your brain starts to became very active and problems that may well be solvable during the day become huge worries at night – made worse by the fact you can't sort them out there and then."

Here's what to do when your body says sleep but your mind's not listening. 

1. Sleep by the clock

When it comes to sleep, timing is everything, as Dr Michael Breus reveals in a new book. Our circadian rhythm – also known as the biological clock – affects every aspect of our life, including our ability to sleep well.

The more we understand circadian dyssynchrony – when the biological clock is out of kilter – the better we sleep, so his theory goes. In The Power of When, Breus offers a programme for getting back in sync with our natural rhythm by making minor changes to our daily routine.

This initially involves taking a simple quiz to establish what kind of chronotype we are (Lion, Bear, Dolphin or Wolf). On the basis of which category you are, Breus then outlines how to schedule your day for peak productivity and wellbeing by timing when it's best to do everything – from eating and sleeping to going for a run and even having sex.

Going to bed at the correct bio-time means you won't lie awake feeling wired. Breus advises that lions (morning-orientated optimists with a medium sleep drive) should go to bed as close to 10pm as possible, bears (good sleepers who have a high sleep drive) at 11pm, dolphins (neurotic light sleepers with a low sleep drive) at 11.30pm and wolves (night-orientated extroverts with a medium sleep drive) at midnight.

2. Wind down, not up

Sleep is a natural physiological process – but you can help it along and avoid additional anxiety by having a set wind-down routine. The goal of this is to relax your body and prime it for sleep. So if you're going to bed at 10-11pm, set aside 30 minutes to an hour for an identical nightly pre-sleep routine. This may involve things such as taking a shower, washing your face and brushing your teeth, moisturising your face, putting on your PJs and climbing into bed with a book.

Psychologist Susanna Halonen says: "The more identical you can make every evening, the more you train your body to prepare for sleep and the easier it will be to achieve."

3. Keep a cork in it

"Alcohol is a stimulant as well as a sedative," says Dr Guy Meadows of The Sleep School. "While many people use it to fall asleep, it is also metabolised so quickly that it can leave the body craving more."

So when we drink alcohol close to bedtime, we are more likely to wake up in the early hours, leaving us primed for a night-time anxiety attack. As a rule of thumb, it takes an hour to process one unit of alcohol, so to be on the safe side, have a last glass of wine at 7pm if you intend to go to bed at 10pm.

4. Soak it up

Taking a relaxing bath can help declutter the mind. Try a few drops of – this contains lavender, which is a natural sleep aid. There's an added benefit to bath time, too: the fall in body temperature we experience when we get out of the bath is a signal for the brain to start producing sleep-inducing melatonin.

5. Breathe and let go

Practising deep breathing can distract your mind from worries, explains Dr Ramlakhan. "Breathe in, hold for a few seconds and then breathe out – do this three times. Just follow the breathing as you do it."

Breathing in this way instantly slows everything down, relaxes the mind and body, and helps channel your energy into the breathing action. The breathing will give way to the tiredness, which will overcome anxiety and help you fall asleep.

6. Junk the caffeine

Avoid caffeine after 2pm, suggests Will Williams. "Caffeine is a powerful stimulant, and it takes six hours for our body to recover from a single cup of tea or coffee. If you feel you need a hit of caffeine to get you through the afternoon, then consider learning to meditate to give you more energy throughout the day."

7. Make your worries real

Write down what's on your mind at least an hour before bed. By committing thoughts to paper, you control them – they no longer control you and live on paper instead of in your head. Mentally, you can tick them off. Dr Meadows suggests giving each worry a nickname, too, such as The Nag.

"We can't help these thoughts coming in, but they're only a problem when they start to consume us,' he says. 'By giving them names, you speed up the process of defusion, so when unpleasant thoughts crop up, you can just acknowledge them – oh, there's The Nag again – and go back to what you're doing."

8. Get moving earlier 

Strenuous exercise in the evening may cause your nervous system to be too wired to sleep, says meditation teacher Will Williams. So either restructure your day to exercise in the morning, or use meditation after exercise to calm everything down and bring you back into balance.

9. Set clear goals

Have a clear plan for the next day, says psychologist Susanna Halonen.
"If you know what priority number one and two are, you'll spend less time worrying because you know those are the first two things you'll get done. The more you turn this into a habit, the more you realise that if you plan ahead and prioritise effectively, the more easily you can get the important things done. This will lower your anxiety and help you sleep better."

10. Curb your cyberenthusiasm 

If we're going to feel worry-free at night, it's crucially important to have a mental switch-off, says Neil Shah of The Stress Management Society.

"So have a digital blackout for an hour before bed, unplugging all devices that could stimulate the mind."

Boots pharmacist Tom Kallis adds that browsing the latest headlines online may feel like light relief, but it actually keeps your brain stimulated. He says: "If checking your phone is part of your end-of-day routine, do this at least half an hour before you turn the lights out so you give your eyes and brain a break. Put any electronics out of reach or on airplane mode so you won't be tempted to pick them up in the night – or if you can, turn them off completely."

LCD screens emit blue light, which is the same sort as sunlight, so playing havoc with our sleep hormones. 

"Checking Facebook last thing at night is like shining a miniature sun into your eyes," says Dr Meadows. "Our body clock gets confused and starts thinking it's daytime again, so it inhibits the sleep hormone melatonin and releases the waking hormone cortisol."

11. Leave the room

If you simply can't get back to sleep because your head is buzzing with worry, don't look at the clock – you'll fret even more.

"Just get out of bed and go into another room for 10 minutes," says Dr Ramlakhan. "Leaving the environment you feel uncomfortable in breaks the association with worries. But don't start checking your phone or scrolling through Facebook."

Go into the living room and under a dim light read a few pages of a light-hearted book, or yesterday's newspaper. When you feel calm, return to your bed and begin some deep breathing again. She adds: 'Turn your pillow over when you get back into bed. It will feel cooler on your face and creates a separation from the last time you were lying there.'

This article was originally published in the December 2016 issue of Good Housekeeping.