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Hello everybody! Welcome to Google Madrid, to this first Atlético de Madrid Hangout,
to these Google+ videoconferences. There is very little time left for the Copa del Rey final, which is played this Friday in the 00:00:20 Santiago Bernabeu stadium between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid.
And today we are going to have two of the main stars of this match with us,
Thibaut Courtois and Adrián... Welcome, guys!
Hi, how are you?
Hello
Today we are going to have many fans with us through social networks, asking questions to our guests,
and 5 Atlético de Madrid VIPs:
J. Hombrados, captain of the handball national team,
the bullfighter Miguel Abellán, the motorbike champion Álvaro Bautista,
an absolute legend of Atlético de Madrid like Adelardo,
and a friend and fellow countryman of Thibaut Courtois, Philippe,
the president of the Atlético fans of Belgium. There is also someone else who didn't want to miss this hangout,
and it is, of course, mascot of Atlético de Madrid. Indi
This question round will start with the captain of the Atlético de Madrid handball team,
J. Hombrados. J., good morning, how are you?
Hello, Good morning.
I am pretty clear about who you are going to ask your question to,
someone who shares your same responsibility, the goalkeeper of Atlético de Madrid, Thibaut...
Yes, well, I am going to throw at him, let's see,
I have talked with him many times about technical details,
but above all, facing the Copa del Rey final, I am specially curious
about how does he prepare such a match, specifically about the videos he watches
or how does he learn about the rival... but don't give up all the clues,
in case someone from Madrid is watching this...
Well, the question is if you watch any kind of videos and focus on things like corner kicks
and who throws them, and how they do it...
Tell us a bit more about that pre-game preparation...
Yeah, with the team we always watch games to learn about the rival's strategies
on attack and on defense, how they play, their attacks and how they defend...
And sometimes I work alone with the goalkeeper coach to see who kicks the fouls,
how they kick them, and that's about it, not much more... But do you place yourself in a special position depending on the rival player,
and how is he going to attack, now does he face you, or from where will they kick the ball?
Like, for example, a full back who is more likely to pass the ball
or maybe can create danger as a striker...
Well, if I know that they are good strikers, I place myself closer to the goal, because
I know that he might go for a strike;
but if I know he's a passer, I will be further away from the goal to try to catch the ball in the air.
Keeping their goals at 0, Thibaut, that's what's most important...
Yeah, that's it!
The first question from our fans is for Adrián; Fran de la Fuente
asks him how many times has he ever imagined himself scoring the decisive goal in the Copa final.
Fran says that he himself has imagined that several times...
Well, I think that all of us have imagined that sometime...
All of us who have the opportunity to be there dream about that moment of scoring the goal
that gives your team the victory, that gives us that so greatly sought-after cup,
and the truth is that it would be something quite unforgettable, of course...
It has been in your head, you have actually dreamt about it, right?
Yes, sure
And also in the mind non-professional players...
The next question, the next turn is for another Atlético de Madrid VIPs,
Álvaro Bautista, motorbike champion.
Hi, Álvaro! Good morning!
Good morning! How is everybody?
Who do you want to ask your question, champion?
Well, I wanted to ask both, but maybe Adrián can answer it better...
For me, when I am in the races I know that everyone is cheering and looking at me,
but I am wearing a helmet and I can't really hear what anyone say's and whenever I have been to Calderón Stadium,
I see everybody cheering and shouting, and I wonder how it feels to play while you are hearing everybody,
and whether it adds a pressure on you or on the contrary it motivates you...
So, what sensations do you have while playing?
Well, it is a really special thing, specially when we are playing at home,
at Calderón, because our crow is always supporting the team a lot,
and it is very special and very important for a player to feel that support,
it makes you feel more confident, and it may even help you to do things better.
And in the final I think there will be an incredible atmosphere...
We have to be there to live it, because a game like this one in such a big stadium
will be something worth seeing,
and our crowd will be there supporting us all the way, as always.
I was telling Adrián off-mic earlier that this is the only topic you're asked about lately,
Friday's final.
Sure, it is normal because there is a lot of expectation
and hope in our supporters about this game,
and they all want it to be great,
so we will do all we can to make it an unforgettable game.
Talking about supporters, Indy has jumped off his seat right now...
Anyway, the next question from our fans in the social networks is for Thibaut,
Elorog Rodríguez asks, by the way, what do you think of the supporters of Atlético de Madrid.
Well, for me it's an incredible crowd...
I have been to many stadiums and my team in Belgium had a very large and supportive group of fans,
but here in Atlético I feel it like people are great,
they are there with us even when we fail, and cheer us up, on twitter and everything...
For me, it is one of the best crowds I know.
Someone who doesn't have any doubt that the fans of Atlético de Madrid are the best is probably Indy...
Indy, what do you have to say about this?
That's it, bringing up the crowd! And now,
we should even have to stand up to talk to Adelardo...
Good morning!
Mr. Adelardo, who is your question for?
Well, my question, more than a question... the high spirit they showed at the Europa League final
against Chelsea and Athletic de Bilbao must be shown on the final on Friday,
and Real Madrid will then respect them more...
I have played against Real Madrid three times, and we won twice...
You have to think that it is only about a football field where 11 players play against another 11,
and that there is a game to play and win.
That is the idea that I would like you to take to your teammates
so that this title can be the icing of this great season
that you have all played.
Thank you very much and a big hug to you all!
Thank you very much, Adelardo!
Well, I guess that he's quite right, amongst other things,
because he knows very well what he is talking about...
Yes, he's completely right... He, well, has been an outstanding player,
has achieved many things in this club, and knows what football is,
and knows that when there are games like that on Friday then, well...
that's what he just said, it's 11 against 11, and we have to play to win,
to do our job without fear,
knowing that it is complicated, that there's a tough rival in front of you, like Real Madrid,
but that we have to play our football and try to win.
Thibaut, Adelardo says that is is very important to go to the game with the same spirit as the other finals the team has played,
do you agree?
Yes, I agree with him, every final is different,
and we have played two finals this season, and we had a very high spirit in those two finals
because Bilbao was a very tough rival, and Chelsea even more,
and we have won them both, 3-0 and 1-4, and I think that
if we play with the same spirit we can surely beat Real Madrid.
José Ángel Pérez asks you, Adrián, how do you see the team for the final?
What are the feelings in the squad?
Very good, very good feelings... Besides from the fact that it's being a great season,
we are also full of hope, just like our crowd and the club in its whole,
and we know that if we won this final it would be a perfect year for us...
We feel very well, the team is in a good physical shape,
and we also have a lot of hope and looking forward to doing something remarkable on Friday.
It would be truly great!
Let's talk now to another Atlético de Madrid supporter quite far away from our country,
and in a place that Thibaut knows very well...
He is Philipe, the president of the Belgian supporters of Atlético de Madrid;
good morning, Philipe!
I can imagine who do you want to talk to... He's all yours...
Good morning from Belgium! I am so happy to see you!
Congratulations for your season! I have a question for both,
Adrián and Thibaut... I have really liked the campaign "Atleti makes you stronger",
and in the Bernabeu stadium we will also be there with thousands of other Atlético fans supporting our team.
Do you think that having the crowd cheering you there you will feel stronger too?
Yes, I think so. I feel that if we are playing in Bernabeu with our people cheering as I know they do,
it will be like playing at home compared to Monaco, where there were only around 5000 fans,
against the more than 30,000 that will be cheering us on Friday.
That's right
Thank you very much, Philippe.
Thank you very much, Philippe. Thanks for being with us from so far away!
Go for it!
We are going to finish our round of questions from our VIP guests
with a renowned bullfighter, also an Atlético fan, Miguel Abellán.
Good morning, Miguelito!
Good morning!
Ok, shoot! You have them both here...
Well, I would like to congratulate them both in the first place for this extraordinary season,
and also for the previous ones, which have been just as good...
Congratulations for arriving to this much awaited final against
the best rival one could think of,
with the hope and desire that we all fans of
Atlético feel of having a victory against Real Madrid.
My question is this: us bullfighter have a reputation of being quite superstitious
-which is not my case, I managed to give that up some time ago-,
but I wanted to know if you face these games, a championship final,
with the importance it has, and whether you have any kind of superstition
before you jump on the field...
I am curious of any of your personal superstitions...
I am not very superstitious, personally,
but it is true that every time I jump on the field
I think of my grandfather and grandmother, who passed away
and watch for me from up there, and I think about them when I jump on the field...
Later on I don't really think much about that,
but it is true that there are many players that have different idiosyncrasies
in the minutes before the game...
Thibaut?
Well, I don't have many special rituals,
but when I am getting ready in the dressing room
I always put my left shoe on first kind of unconsciously,
and in the field I always touch the right pole first and then the left one,
and finally the crossbar.
Then I know that I am ready and concentrated in the game,
and I am completely focused.
That when the referee can signal the start of the game, right?
Yes.
Thank you very much, guys!
Indy, I assume I'll see you around Bernabeu on Friday...
Of course!
Well, him, J., Philippe, Álvaro and Adelardo. Thank you all very much,
and thanks to all the fans that have sent their questions to this Google+ Hangout.
Thank you, Google+, for making this videoconference possible,
and to you two, guys... I hope you have lots of luck
and that all us Atlético supporters can have a cause for joy!
See you on Friday!
Thank you very much!
Hugs!
See u on Friday!
Lots of luck!
Thank you!
Good luck!