Real Madrid one step away from the Champions League final: Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos has played a few games in midfield for Real Madrid in the absence of Luka Modric

Turin, May 6 (IANS): Real Madrid central defender Sergio Ramos believes his side are well placed to make the Champions League final despite their 1-2 first-leg semi-final loss to Italian football club Juventus in Turin.

An early strike from Alvaro Morata and a penalty converted by Carlos Tevez on either side of a Cristiano Ronaldo goal saw the defending champions being beaten on Tuesday night.

“It's by no means a good result but we have the bonus of playing the second leg at home to help us improve things that didn't go well. We're one step from the final and we're going to give it our all at the Bernabeu,” Ramos was quoted as saying by the Real Madrid website.

The 29-year-old said the team has to remain united and not commit the same errors again when they host Juventus at the Santiago Bernabeu on May 13.

“It was one of those days when things don't go for you from the opening minutes. After a bad result, you have to stay calm and more united than ever. Making mistakes is part of the game and we have to be self-critical and improve so that things go as we'd like at the Bernabeu,” said the Spaniard.

Ramos added that home fans can play a decisive factor in the outcome of the second-leg.

“Juventus are favourites looking at the result but we have the bonus of playing at home. We ask the fans to make a unique effort to create the atmosphere of the previous match and to spur us on to make it to Berlin. Unity is what's going to make the team pick itself up. We're one step from the final. We're going to give it our all at the Bernabeu,” he said.

The final will be played at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on June 6.