Pepe: "Cristiano is a very complete footballer and is the best in the world"

Real Madrid are coming into the decisive part of the season and will play the first of their three away matches in just 10 days against Deportivo de La Coruña in Riazor Stadium. Pepe, who has already played two matches since recovering from his injury, analysed the match for Bwin’s website and highlighted the Galician side’s main threat: "I think that it is the strong support of their fans. They will be very motivated because they are playing against Real Madrid". About Cristiano Ronaldo and the question of whether he is the best player he has played with, he replied: "Undoubtedly. Cristiano is a very complete player. He has all the qualities to be an athlete and, because of that, I think that he is a very complete footballer and the best in the world".

The Whites are working intensively to achieve their goals and the best results in all competitions. "Every day we have a hard training session because we all want to play. There are 25 players and we all want to take part. This is good for the club and difficult for the coach. We each try to give our best so that we get to play the next match. The coach chooses the best players to win the match and the best to help the team", said the defender.

The next match is at the Riazor, where Deportivo await and urgently need the points to get themselves off of the bottom of the table. Pepe highlighted what in his opinion is the Galician side’s strong point: "Riki scored a goal against us here but I think their strength is the bond between the players and the Deportivo fans, which is very strong. That is why they will be very motivated to beat Real Madrid".

Finally, the Real Madrid defender, whose full name is Kepler Laveran Lima Ferreira, explained the origin his sporting nickname that everyone knows him by: "My name in Brazil is quite difficult to pronounce. My coach and my father and called me Pepe because it was easier. And that how it has stayed; Pepe".