Will Sheriff Tiraspol's "fairytale" continue against Real? - "Facing difficult opponents"

Head coach Yuriy Vernydub has been dreaming about this moment since he visited two years ago; now, the players of his club Sheriff Tiraspol are not supposed to freeze in awe when they play at the Bernabeu. The Moldavian underdogs will face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday as the leaders of Group D. "I always tell my people: 'We are already in the Champions League, you have nothing to lose, and you can present yourself on the biggest stage," Vernydub said in an interview with kicker. "But you can only enjoy it if you are perfectly prepared." 

The Moldavian club started the Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk; Real Madrid beat Inter Milan 1-0. "The last few months were like a fairytale," Vernydub said. "The fairytale is supposed to continue, even though we realize that with Real and Inter, we are facing difficult opponents. We will need 200% against a world star club like Real and their stars Modric, Benzema, and Kroos. But we will prepare the same way as we do against any other opponent. 

"Two years ago, I was only a visitor," Vernydub said about his visit to the Bernabeu. "Friends organized the opportunity to attend practice sessions of both Valencia and Levante. Because Levante played against Real, I was able to attend the game. Back then, I said: 'It is my dream to be here as a coach one day.'" That dream is now becoming a reality—even if his club will be the absolute underdog in the game. Real Madrid's squad value of €794 million is 66-times higher than Sheriff's squad value of just €12 million.