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Schalke manager Roberto Di Matteo: 'Of course Real are the favourites'

Ina Fassbender / Reuters

Schalke manager Roberto Di Matteo is being realistic ahead of his side's round-of-16 clash versus Real Madrid in the Champions League.

One year since Schalke were thrashed 9-2 on aggregate by the reigning European champions in the same stage of the competition, Di Matteo is aware that his side enterrs the rematch as perennial underdogs, but insists that he's going into Wednesday's fixture with eyes on all three points.

"We enter this game with the intention of winning it, of course, but we know we are up against very tough opposition," Di Matteo said. "They are the champions, but we have to try to win it.

"It will be a test for us, to see how far we have come in Europe, how we have developed and improved. Of course Real are the favourites, but I believe that by now we have a certain [level of] experience in these games and I hope we can demonstrate that."

Di Matteo is also unfazed by the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo has gone scoreless in his past three fixtures and is perfectly aware of the impact the Portuguese superstar can make on the match.

"We all have the same opinion of Cristiano Ronaldo," Di Matteo said. "He is a player who is capable of deciding games on his own. You have to defend against him as a team. He might not be displaying his usual stellar form, but he is still capable of deciding a game by himself."

Of course, it should be noted that Di Matteo, who took over at Schalke in October, was not the manager when Real Madrid eliminated the German club from the Champions League last season.

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