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Plate's Ponzio taking one game at a time
River Plate players train at the Tahnoon bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain ahead of their tie against the home team.
Abu Dhabi - Leonardo understands the significance and magnitude of the tournament
"The first game is the most important: if we lose the first match, we will already be playing for third or fourth, which is not good. The second thing is to know that if we face a big club like Real Madrid, or in our case Barcelona in 2015, we have to be doubly attentive in every single detail," said Ponzio.
As part of the River Plate team that lost 3-0 to a dominant FC Barcelona in the 2015 Fifa Club World Cup final, Ponzio, 36, understands the significance and magnitude of the tournament - as well as the pain of losing a final.
"The Fifa Club World Cup is very important," said the veteran. "It's very important because we went through many things to win this Copa Libertadores title and now we have the chance to face the champions of all the continents. It's a situation that appears like we are dreaming, but it's real. We are happy to be in the UAE and we will try to enjoy this moment to the fullest. Let's see what happens on the pitch."
Should River Plate progress from their semifinal, Ponzio will serve as the lynchpin in a defensive shield intended to keep the much-fancied Real Madrid CF at bay.
Ponzio expects the somewhat stuttering domestic form of Real Madrid, who face their own semifinal against the winner of the clash between CONCACAF champions Guadalajara and Asian champions Kashima Antlers of Japan, to count for nothing when the history-making Uefa Champions League winners take the field in the UAE.
"We have to be realistic: these big teams do not fade or decline. Real Madrid is the most successful team in Europe, they deserve our utmost respect. We can't kid ourselves," said Ponzio, before adding: "There are some clubs that demand respect. In South America, we are respected, just as Real Madrid is in Europe. We must think only about ourselves."
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