VfL Wolfsburg Ladies face Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital for the right to move into the quarter-finals on Wednesday 31 October (kick-off: 20:00 CET). Lerch's side might boast a 4-0 advantage after an impressive first-leg performance in Germany, but the head coach – whose side are yet to concede in all competitions this season – is calling for full focus as VfL look to secure a last-eight berth. Here's what Lerch had to say in a rainy Madrid ahead of the game.
... the atmosphere in the team: "Everyone's in a good mood, the atmosphere in the team is relaxed. We arrived safely in Madrid – the weather might not be playing ball yet, but that doesn't diminish our excitement ahead of the game. The team is as prepared as it could possibly be and really motivated. Everyone wants to finish the job and advance to the next round."
... the opposition: "Atletico will try everything to put us under pressure early on. We're prepared for that, and it means we'll have to be switched-on from the very first minute. We still want to get forward ourselves, cause Atletico problems defensively and keep a clean sheet for as long as possible. I think we'll manage that and move into the next round."
... team news: "Apart from the long-term absentees – Katharina Baunach, Lara Dickenmann and Lena Goeßling – it looks fine. Claudia Neto and Nilla Fischer, who haven't been fully fit recently, have made the trip. We're well set."
