Cesar Azpilicueta Quotes

For me, it is very important to control a situation in defence. You can always score goals, but you have to add stability in the defence.

I like consistency in defenders.

I'm a defender first and foremost - blocks, headers, vital tackles, or even just the communication side of it, which is massive but doesn't really get recognised.

I've always liked taking the ball out of defence and I will carry on doing that but at the end of the day I'm a defender, and that's what I want to be known as - a defender, getting in the blocks and the headers that people don't recognise I do, the dirty stuff that every defender should do and should be good at.

I think I'm a great defender, to be honest.

As a defender, we take pride in getting clean sheets.

Defending isn't just about tackling and heading, it's also about getting the ball down and playing - starting the attack from the back.

On the defensive end, I have to do my job.

I don't really focus on the guy that's defending me.

I realize I have to continue to work on defense. I think a lot of people have to work on defense.

My first, second, third, fourth and fifth priority is definitely defense. I want to be everywhere and help everybody.

I feel I am a total defender.

Everyone thinks I'm looking for attacking football all the time. But the foundation is how you defend - keep a clean sheet, and you have a decent chance to win a game of football.

A compact defense has always been the basis of Italy's team.

Centre-backs usually get criticised for clearing the ball long, but it's easier doing this than risking a pass. If you lose the ball at the back, it's almost a goal. Most centre-backs don't risk this kind of game, depending on the holding midfielder in front.

As much as you want to improve or help the team, as a centre-back your job is to go under the radar and keep the ball out of the net. If you do that and let the strikers get all the adulation and the headlines, then you're probably doing your job.

Concentrate on defense because the offense will come.

You put a lot of pressure on your defenders to be able to hold the fort when you go forward.

The Italians are very strong defensively. They showed in Euro 2000 how good defensively they are.

We believe defending is very much a team job, and we can't just rely on a back four and a goalkeeper.

Rafa Benitez was keen on defending - all dropping back together if you lose the ball.

Being a presence on the defensive end, I know that's important to me, I have to establish that.

Without a doubt, it is easier to produce a defensive soccer team, because it does not need you to have talent for it but simply to be well organised.

I have to remember I am a defender first and do my job there first and foremost.

That's how you get better on defense; not just 'oh, man, my guy beat me,' but you have to think about, 'okay, my man beat me, so I either have to pick up the next man, or I'm going to give somebody a foul.