England man speaks ahead of huge second-leg clash with Spanish giants.
Manchester United midfield player Michael Carrick has said that he and his team-mates must guard against being too attacking when they take on Real Madrid in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, reports the Daily Express.
The runaway Premier League leaders host the Liga champions having drawn the first leg of their European Cup last-16 clash in the Spanish capital 1-1 three weeks ago and the England international believes that it would be a massive mistake to think that the job had already been done by the Red Devils.
“We cannot be too gung-ho. I don’t think we will, though, and I don’t think they will. It’s hard to know, isn’t it? The game over there was tight at times, but we still could have come away with a 3-1 victory. And so could they,” said Carrick.
“Both teams will have to defend well with the strike power they’ve got. You must have a complete game in many respects.
“We pride ourselves on defending well and that has got better recently. But there will be so much huge talent out there on the pitch, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Meanwhile, the holding midfield player has also said that Madrid’s 3-1 win at Camp Nou in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg last week shows just how dangerous Jose Mourinho’s side can be on their travels.
“It’s not often teams go to the Nou Camp and come away with that sort of scoreline,” said Carrick.
“And Madrid produced some textbook counterattacking, absorbed all the possession Barcelona had and hit them on the break.
“In many ways, that is Real’s strength. With the type of players they have, that is what United will have to try in order to counter-act.”
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