Zidane: It will be a failure if we don't reach the final

Head coach Zinedine Zidane believes it would be a failure for Real Madrid if they do not progess past Manchester City into the Champions League final.

Madrid were held to a 0-0 draw at the Etihad last week, but will be hoping to have more luck on Wednesday when they host Manchester City at the Bernabeu for the secong leg of their Champions League semi-final clash.

After turning Madrid's season around, leading them to the semi-finals, as well as catching up to Barcelona and Atletico in La Liga, the Frenchman has insisted that elimination on Wednesday is not an option.

"It will be a failure if we do not reach the final. We are going through a good run of form and we will give our all to progress, but it will be very difficult," Zidane told a media conference.

"We are desperate to make it to the final, though, and it will be a failure if we do not make it.

"It will be even more difficult than in the first game, because it will all be decided on Wednesday. We are not thinking about scoring two or three goals within 15 minutes like we did against Wolfsburg. We know that we will suffer for 90 minutes, and perhaps even longer.

"The most important thing is that we have to be prepared for a difficult task. Hopefully we can replicate our performance from the second half at the Etihad and then score some goals.

"We will try to play good football, press high up the pitch and play with an intensity worthy of a semi-final game. It will not be easy just because we have the home advantage."

Although Serigo Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne are probably the two men who can hurt Madrid the most, Zinedine has refused to single out individual players, insisting they will focus on the team as a whole.

"Aguero has all my respect and he is a key player for City, a very good player, but we will not do anything special to stop him," he added.

"The most important thing is what we are going to do on the pitch. Aguero is essential, but so are City's other players.

"De Bruyne? I am not focusing on one specific player. A very good team is coming to the Bernabeu, but we will try to progress to the final."