On Saturday evening, Real Madrid will host FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu for the first Clasico of the La Liga season. With only three points separating them from the Catalan leaders, the Casa Blanca club has a clear objective: to secure victory against their rival and prevent the gap from widening in the standings. On the eve of this clash, Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media in a press conference. The Italian coach discussed his team as well as Barcelona, emphasizing that there is no favorite in a match that will be watched worldwide. Here are the key points from the conference, as reported by Real Madrid’s editorial team.
Carlo Ancelotti on Vinicius as a Leader: “There isn’t just one leader. He can be one, but there’s also Valverde, Modric, and the young players can be leaders too. We are fortunate to have many leaders.”
Carlo Ancelotti on Barcelona’s Changes: “Flick has changed their philosophy of play, but for me, Xavi has done a fantastic job in his own way. He has beaten us, and I don’t want to make comparisons. We respect Barcelona just as we respect Xavi’s team.”
Carlo Ancelotti Discusses Mbappé: “I have a lot of confidence in his abilities, and I think he will contribute as always.”
Carlo Ancelotti on the Key to the Match: “Playing 90 minutes in the same way is impossible, but during the second half against Dortmund, we saw there are things we can do.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s Advice for Mbappé: “He has played many times against Barcelona and knows what he needs to do.”
Carlo Ancelotti on His Style: “It may be necessary to adjust the line, but that’s normal. We need to play a complete match to win.”
Carlo Ancelotti on Pressure and Its Effects: “Criticism doesn’t bother me at all; it’s there, and it’s not a problem. I don’t worry too much about these matches. I need to clarify my ideas and then explain them in the best way possible, but I like to know what others think.”
Carlo Ancelotti on an Anti-Lamine Plan: “I really like his way of playing and his attitude. You have to take the opponent into account, but you must focus more on what you want to do. He has started the season very well.”
Carlo Ancelotti on Mistakes: “You shouldn’t talk too much about mistakes in these matches. In these games, everyone is motivated and focused. When I played, I worried a lot, and Van Basten always told me to stay calm, give him the ball, and run to celebrate.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s Game Plan Against Barcelona: “I have something in mind, but you’ll have to see it tomorrow, and then you can tell me if I was wrong or not.”
Carlo Ancelotti on Bellingham: “Last year, we lost an important forward like Karim, and we replaced that with goals from Jude, Brahim, and Joselu. Now we have a forward who can score 40 goals.”
Carlo Ancelotti on Favorites: “There is no favorite; it depends on many things, like how you manage the matches. There will be moments when we have control and others when they do. Managing that is very important.”
Carlo Ancelotti on What Mbappé Needs to Reach His Best: “We are happy because he has scored goals. He was very present in the first two goals against Dortmund. We are already satisfied with what he is doing, but he will do even better because he has the qualities to do so. But we are not in a hurry.”
Carlo Ancelotti on the Key to the Match and Whether Barcelona is Favorite: “They are doing very well; it’s difficult to designate a favorite in a Clasico. Fortunately, nothing keeps me up at night.”
Carlo Ancelotti Emphasizes Jude Bellingham: “He is doing very well, progressing. His condition is very good, and his work is very important, and he knows it well.”
Carlo Ancelotti on Flick’s Barcelona: “They have a very clear idea of how to play; they are a very brave team, and we need to prepare well for the match.”
End of the Press Conference.
Leave a Reply