Dress rehearsal before the World Cup: "Yes and no. It's a place we'll be coming back to, so we're already looking ahead. We want to be there. We're playing against a great team. But at the same time, some players might not be here, so it's too early to make any predictions. Still, it's good to be here, to get together with the squad, because it's been a while since we've played with the national team."
How Real Madrid is managing his knee: "I've never been someone who has regrets, either as a player or as a person. The only thing I focus on is the present and the near future. I'm happy to feel good, to feel both my knees, and to enjoy being on the pitch. I owe that to my club as well, and I'm glad to be fit and healthy."
How long can he play tomorrow: "You'll have to ask the coach. I'm ready to play. It's up to the coach to make his decisions, but as players, we're ready to play every minute we're given."
Successor to Didier Deschamps, is ZZ a topic within the team? "I heard the president's statement while I was at an event. It's not something we're discussing internally. We're focused on the present and what's ahead of us."
Ousmane Dembélé: "It's fantastic to have someone like Ousmane in the team. We need to build chemistry with him. We'll try to put him in the best possible conditions so he can perform like he does at his club, because if he does, we have a good chance of winning."
Right knee examined? "The story about my right knee being examined isn't true. Maybe I'm partly to blame, because when you don't communicate, you leave room for speculation. With Real, we've always had clear communication, both with the doctors and the physios."
Real Madrid in his absence: "It's good that the team can play like this, because it's a big moment and it's important for the team to win matches. I didn't want us to be knocked out of the Champions League. And it's pressure for us as players, because we have to fit in. When we were eliminated from the Copa del Rey, everyone thought I was the only solution; now people think the opposite. We'll see what happens."
On Brazil: "It's an important match. Brazil is such a huge football nation. It gives us a first taste of what this summer's World Cup will be like: the atmosphere, the fans... Everyone in this room knows Brazil's history; it's the country that has inspired international football the most. They have five stars on their shirt. It's always a challenge. They'll be contenders for the title. It's a pleasure and a challenge. We're looking forward to playing tomorrow. There will be lessons to learn. We have to give everything; it's going to be a great match."
Playing system and relationship with Olise: "It's been five months since we last played, but we weren't doing too badly. We created chances, there was a good understanding. It still needs fine-tuning. I've been playing for the national team for nine years, and I'm comfortable with everything. Michael? He's having a great season, it's a privilege to have a player of his quality, and we'll try to put him in the best conditions, he's feeling good. It's up to us to integrate all the attacking players. Ousmane has a spot that's rightfully his. We can field several attacking trios without losing quality. We need to find the right balance. We made adjustments during qualifying. We'll keep working to improve the team so we're in top form this summer."
World Cup in the USA: "Being the star of this World Cup? I'm not exactly unknown here, considering how hard it was for me to leave the hotel (laughs). The culture here is different from ours, and it's good to learn from everyone. Being the star of the World Cup really isn't my concern, it doesn't win you any trophies..."
Captaincy and winning the World Cup: "Winning the World Cup as captain? It's so difficult, so rare. The more time goes by, the more you realize how important these things are. You have to live in the moment, understand the significance of things and competitions. It would be amazing to win, for me, for the players, for the French people, for the journalists... It doesn't seem like you'd mind that (smiles)."