Raul Gonzalez Press Conference

Raul analysed the coming season and the impact the new signings have had on the team.

How are you preparing for the coming season?
We are al very excited about it. I think there's been an increase in quality thanks to the new arrivals. We are very excited, especially after last year, during which things didn't go too well. We want to thrill our fans, win our games and play well. That's one of our goals and it will help us in our drive to win titles.

How is Cristiano adapting to the team?
I think he's doing great. He seems to be very happy. All our new players have integrated well. I think Cristiano is anxious to face this great challenge and we are all going to help him help us as much as possible.

Will you have to fight harder for a spot this year?
I've been fighting for 15 years. Your level increases with the level of your team-mates. We have a very good and experienced coach and we want to assimilate his ideas.

Are you ready to have a more secondary role?
The only role I must have is that of being a player. That implies playing or not playing. I will try to be as fit as I can and the coach will decide if I play in the end. The season is very long and we need a large and organised squad to face it.

Do you consider Ribery to be an essential player for this team?
He is obviously a great player, but we still don't know who will arrive in the end. We will be delighted to have him here if he comes. He is one of the most sought-after footballers in Europe.

Do you think the new signings have delegated Barcelona's pressure onto Real Madrid?
You can't live off the past. Barcelona were the best last year, but we will start from scratch now with a new project and a new squad. We'll gradually see which goals we can actually achieve, so I think the pressure will essentially be the same.

The excitement everyone feels makes the team's responsibility even greater...
That's why we'll work on a daily basis and try to do our best all the time. We hope our supporters have fun with us. We must be calm and humble. We hope to reach the level we want to have by the start of the campaign.

What do you think about training three times a day?
It's fine. We've trained twice today and we still haven't had lunch. It's just a method and a player adapts to all sorts of them. We are happy because we are doing a lot of ball work and that makes it more comfortable for us. I hope to have as much fun as I had in all the previous seasons.

Is the team's greatest goal to play the Champions League final at the Bernabeu next year?
It would be nice, but we have to focus on reality. We have to work hard and gradually give the impression of being a powerful team as the season unfolds in order to get there. But that's still a long way off.

How is Cristiano?
He is a very nice guy, a hard worker and very normal. He is very integrated and he looks happy. The media gives importance to everything he does, but he is much more normal than what everyone else thinks.

Could the team win the three titles this year?
We will try to win every title at stake. It's important to set yourself important goals like that, but we'll have to work hard every day. Barcelona achieved it when everyone thought it would be impossible. We came close to winning the league title until our match against them at the Bernabeu, but we have to improve on our performances in Europe. I think we can aspire to win everything with this squad.

Can the new players break the calm atmosphere on the squad?
Not at all. Everything's going to improve. The Club will be very strong and will have great stability; the President and his Board are already providing that. Our new players will bring new things to the team and will give us the chance to aspire to win every title.

How much has the team changed?
I think the most important thing is that we have a great group of players. That will help us be more optimistic.

What can the new players bring to Real Madrid?
They've all achieved important things and I think they can do much for the team. They are all welcome because they are great signings. They can all do important things here.