One more, slightly irnonic, Woody interview! Seems a little arrogant in places!!

Woodgate: “We have to win. It's our obligation to the fans”
Jonathan Woodgate has played against Arsenal several times and he knows all too well what the team is capable of. Spanish sports dailies AS and Marca met with Woody to find out first hand what he thinks about Tueday's match and what tactics coach Juan Ramón López Caro will use to stop the Gunners. “Holding them to zero goals is what's most important although I'm sure we'll score in Highbury,” he stated to the two periodicals.

AS
How important is this match to you?
It's very important for me, for the Club, and for the fans. Winning this game is vital. It's going to be really hard but we're going to give it our all.

Are you excited?
It's a very special match for me. My whole family and a bunch of friends are here because an English Club is playing at the Bernabéu. It's a really important moment.

How do you stop players like Henry, Pires, and Reyes?
All three are great but everyone on Arsenal is a big time player. They've won the Premier League in years past. It's an incredible squad and they're all really fast. We'll have to be awake out there, especially with Ljungberg and Henry. Henry is the most dangerous in my opinion.

Arsenal has never really gotten far in the Champions League.
That's true but I don't know why they haven't. I hate to say it but this year they won't either. We'll be in the final. We have a great chance of winning it and we'll give it our best shot. There are several great teams left so we'll need a bit of luck as well.


How many phone calls have you received from England?
Loads. I've done several interviews and friends have called to see how we're doing. I need loads of tickets. I'm going to need even more for the match in London. More than 30 friends have asked for a ticket to Highbury. They all want to be at that game.

What are your thoughts on Wenger?
He's an incredible manager. He's got so many good ideas and has always put together and managed competitive squads.

How will the match be?
It will be action-packed from the very first minute. We're two of the top European teams. I hope we win. No, we have to win. It's our obligation to the fans. We have to keep them from scoring any goals although I know we'll score in Highbury. I'm sure of it.

Won't Highbury be an inferno?
Of course it will be. I know it. I've played there several times but we've got such great players that we can play anywhere. No stadium is harder than the next. Besides, I'll tell you a little secret: Arsenal's pitch is like a carpet. We'll play well there.

Right now you appear to be in really good form.
I'm playing really well because our training sessions are excellent. We train harder day after day and that makes us better. We have a great manager.

Have you gotten better under López Caro?
Of course! We've all noticed improvement with him. I feel great and I'm really happy here now. The whole squad has been in really good shape since his arrival and I hope he's with us next season. He's really good for us.

Although you feel so good right now, does getting reinjured ever cross your mind?
No! Never! I'm a very optimistic and positive person. I've gone through some difficult moments but everything is fine now. Honestly, I'm in perfect form.

What Real Madrid player can be the difference-maker in today's match?
Zidane can do a lot of harm with his style of play. He's in really good form right now. If you want to know what player may surprise us all, it's Cicinho. Wenger can control the match and he's very intelligent, but Cicinho could really unbalance them.

What do the absences of Campbell and Cole mean for Real Madrid? It's great for us. They have to change their style of play to accomodate the less experienced footballers.


Do you and Sergio Ramos understand one another?
Perfectly. We can glance at each other and know what the other is thinking although we do talk on the pitch as well.

MARCA
What does playing against a British Club mean to you?
It's important. It's a very special to me and I want to win. It's my first time facing a British team since I left England. My family is here and so are my friends. Loads of people want to see this match.


What do you think about Arsenal?
Arsenal is a really good team although it's going through a bad patch right now. It will be a great game with the players and manager it's got, but it'll be really hard.

Is Thierry Henry their most dangerous player?
Of course. Henry is really dangerous but they have so many other great players. A team isn't built around one person. They have several players that can cause danger.

How will you stop Henry?
It's hard but not impossible. He's only human. I'm not the only one that has to stop him. We are four defenders and we have the midfielders that help a lot as well. Thierry Henry is a fantastic player but we can keep him from scoring.

Is Arsenal good enough to win in the Bernabéu?
It's possible but I also think we can beat them. We ought to win the game but I'm sure they're thinking the same thing. It will be a hard-fought match and a great display of football.

How important is keeping Arsenal off the scoreboard?
I'd like to win the match 2-0 or 3-0. It's really hard to obtain results like these in Champions League play but we're going to try. It would be great if we could keep them from scoring, but the tie lasts for 180 minutes and will only be decided after playing in England.

Can Real Madrid score in Highbury?
I'm sure we'll score in Highbury. We have players capable of scoring there. I hope we can win this match and then win in London as well. It won't be easy and we'll have to work really hard to make it to the quarterfinals.