Manager Eddie Howe wasn't overly despondent with a 6-0 reverse at Dean Court, being quoted in the Bournemouth Evening Echo as saying: "We’ve got a team full of really good characters who aren’t used to losing so it is a horrible feeling no matter who you’re playing and that pleases me. I think that is a good sign and there are a lot of positives to take, especially from large spells of the first half, so we’re not downhearted, but disappointed. From our perspective we knew it was going to be very difficult. We played as we normally do at home and we didn’t want to change too much. We really wanted to test the players with our style of football and try, as much as we could, to take the game to them. For the first 20-25 minutes I thought we did that, until the first goal. After that the game changed slightly but it was a good experience for our lads. They’re the best players in the world but I thought their attitude to the game was excellent and they put a really good shift in for their club. Our lads need to look at that and use that as a marker".
Howe went on to say: "“It’s not every day you get Cristiano Ronaldo at Dean Court and I think that was something very special. Some great players have graced this stadium over the years, and that includes the old stadium of course, but the superstars of Real Madrid will be talked about for a long time. For those fans who endured the really tough days here, this was a special day. Hopefully we can build good links between the clubs. To have a compliment from an opposing manager is always nice, especially someone who has had the career he (Ancelotti) has had. We’re trying to build a good squad to compete in the Championship so who knows what the future holds, but they (Real) have been very good with us and relations between the two clubs have improved. You can’t have too many good relationships with people in foreign leagues and there may well be an opportunity (for loan players) at some stage".
Source: Cherries MAD
Source: FOOTYMAD
