However in detailing what will be required to make the semi-finals, our goalkeeper made it clear the players know an improvement is needed on what has gone before.

‘Obviously we need a better performance than we had in the Bernabeu,’ Kepa said.

‘We need to control better their counter-attacks, we need to spend better the time with the ball, we need to create more chances for sure. We need to score goals and we need to be more clinical in both penalty areas. I think this is going to be key.

‘It is not going to be easy but I don’t think we are going to need the performance of our lives. We need a good performance obviously, we need to play at our best, and we cannot over-think. We have to go step by step, we have to defend well, we have to attack well and do a great game.’

When questioned about whether there is a special plan to deal with Real’s winger Vinicius Junior, Kepa explained that concentrating too much on one player against opposition of the quality of the European champions opens up the prospect of other individuals hurting you, so the game plan needs to be more general.

‘We need to push to keep them in their own half, that is something we can work on for tomorrow,’ said the 28-year-old, who highlighted the second leg last season in the Spanish capital as a source of belief. That was when the Blues battled back from a 3-1 loss at the Bridge to be 10 minutes away from going through, before eventually going out 5-4 on aggregate.

‘After the first leg last season it seemed like a lost cause and in the second leg it was tough but we almost did it. We need to go step by step, not thinking about trying to win 4-0 but just doing things right.

‘Hopefully tomorrow we can involve all the fans, all of Stamford Bridge, by playing our best and make the atmosphere that we need in this game to go through. We have to do the right things from the beginning and push as much as we can.’