Real Madrid's Ricardo Carvalho eyes Champions League glory

The Portuguese center-back is confident his team can go one better than last season, when it was knocked out in the semifinals by fierce rivals Barcelona

Real Madrid defender Ricardo Carvalho has set his sights on getting to the Champions League final this season.



"We reached the semifinals last season, which means we did well, but we want to do better this year," he told Madrid's official website in an interview. "We'll need to be in the final if we want the trophy.



Madrid has won the competition nine times in its illustrious history, but the club's last success was in 2002. Since then, the Spanish side has reached the semifinals only twice, in 2003 and again last year, when it lost to Barcelona.



And Carvalho believes they can go one better this time around.



"After the present stage we'll play two games in each ensuing round and you have to play very well in both," he added. "You can't afford to do well in one and then so-so or badly in the other. We'll have to give good performances in both and also have a little luck to go through."



Carvalho, a Champions League winner with Jose Mourinho's Porto in 2004, has linked up with his compatriot for a third time after their spell at Chelsea, and the defender is a big fan of his boss.



"He works on every single detail and very well on a daily basis. He wants you to improve every day," he said. "It's only normal that you grow as a player, and also as a man, when you work with him. I'm very proud of working with him for such a long time. It's special to be next to him."



Carvalho, 33, is currently in his second season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

