Telles shares ‘huge respect’ for Shaw
Alex Telles expressed his appreciation for fellow full-back Luke Shaw ahead of Manchester United’s round-of-16 second leg against Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday (20:00 GMT).
In his pre-match press conference, Telles discussed the close relationship he has with the England international and talked about his own progress this season.
“I have great respect for Luke [Shaw],” he said. “I have a huge respect for him, and we get on really well on the pitch.”
Telles arrived at Old Trafford in October 2020, and after a challenging first season at the club, the Brazilian has gone from strength to strength this term.
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“In the first year for me [at United], [it] wasn’t that easy for me, but I think this year I feel a lot better.
“I am working very hard, and I am a player who comes to help [the team]. The manager makes the decisions who plays, and he will pick the player who is playing best.”
The Brazilian started United’s crucial 3-2 win over top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday and provided the assist for Cristiano Ronaldo’s match-winning header.
And Telles believes that the form of Ronaldo is crucial for the Reds’ hopes of success this season.
He said: “It is important that he plays at this top level. We know his history in football, how many goals he scores, the impact he has in the changing room, the impact he has on football.
“When he is on fire it is amazing for us.
“We want to help him, and he always wants to help us. That way we have a really strong side.”
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Looking ahead to the visit of Atletico Madrid, Telles expressed his passion for Europe's premier club tournament.
“It’s a competition I love,” said the Brazilian. “I have played [in the] Champions League and Europa League.
“The finer details are very important, and I know that players in the competition have great experience, so tomorrow we will be ready for whatever happens in the game.”
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He added: “It is a really tough game, so I am very happy to be available to play in this game. It will be a tough game, but I think we are ready for it.”
And the left-back hopes that the United fans can make the difference at Old Trafford.
“[The fans] are extremely important tomorrow because I think if we play well the fans will always be behind us,” he said. “They’re very positive and we react positively to that. That’s how it was against Spurs, and I think it will be the same [against Atletico]”.