Real Madrid has not forgotten the defeat suffered last year in Manchester (4-0) and Carlo Ancelotti called today at the press conference the day before to not repeat the mistakes that cost him not to go to the Champions League final some time ago. one year. “Last season we played in Manchester without courage and without personality, which is fundamental in these games. That was not lacking in the second leg.” On this occasion the Madrid coach expects something very different: “It will be an attractive match. Each team has its characteristics, both with a lot of quality. On a technical level it will be very nice. We think about being superior in some aspects, they will be superior in others. The superiority will be seen at the end of the 180 minutes when we see who wins the tie.”
Ancelotti is confident: “The important thing is to get the best because the mental aspect is important. We have had time to prepare for it (nine days). I am confident that we will give the best we have in every way. We have enough quality to compete “.
The Madrid coach acknowledged that these games affect him emotionally: “I still get very nervous. Especially in the hours before the game. Defeat is suffering, victory is happiness? No, really what it is is a relief. Because “The days after are calmer. Happiness can only be if you have won a title. But suffering is part of the job, it keeps you alive, it is gasoline for me.”
The Italian coach came to say that the lineup will be as expected: “I don’t think we’ll do strange things, no. You won’t make a mistake in the lineup, don’t worry, it’s quite clear. There may be a doubt in the defense, nothing more.” He refers to whether Nacho or Tchouaméni will play alongside Rüdiger. “I haven’t said anything to the players yet, I’ll say it tomorrow,” he said.
Two key Madrid players such as Vinícius and Bellingham are facing sanctions. Asked if he is not afraid that Guardiola will use his usual tactic of asking his players to surround the referee with fuss to request that the opponents be cautioned, Ancelotti replied: “I hope not. To prepare for a match there are other things to think about. “We don’t think about this. We have four ready but if they don’t play the second leg, others will play. It’s not a concern for tomorrow. Tomorrow we play on our field and we can’t reserve. We have to try to take advantage of the advantage of playing at home.”
Ancelotti also praised Guardiola: “He is a great coach, period. It doesn’t bother me what they think or think of me, I care what they think of my club.”
Asked how this Madrid team has changed from one year to the next, Ancelotti commented: “We have different characteristics with the ball. Before we had Benzema, who was a reference up front, and now we don’t have him. We have handled this absence with more mobility up front. of attack. And that will be important, not to fix the forward positions.
Ancelotti trusts a lot in Bellingham, the great reinforcement of this season: “He is a great player who appears in the area at the right moment. Physically he is very strong and covers a lot of the field. He also contributes a lot in defense. In addition, he creates spaces and opportunities for we”.
The Madrid coach does not believe that City will be affected by their losses in defence: “They have losses, but they have managed their losses well, like us. Guardiola puts centre-backs on the wing and they do it well, they are solid at the back. I don’t think they will do well to affect”.
Before Ancelotti, Antonio Rüdiger, the team’s fittest defender, who last season played very well in the first leg against City and was a substitute in the second leg, came to the press room, one of the decisions that has been criticized the most. to Ancelotti: “It was a good game at home. I think we all did well to keep Haaland under control. He couldn’t receive many passes. In the second game Ancelotti didn’t apologize for not letting me play. He didn’t have to do it. “As a player I had to accept that, but it was complicated. For this match the plan is going to be the same as last year. Control the players who mix well like De Bruyne and Foden.”
Asked which forward has had the hardest time scoring throughout his career, Rúdiger was clear. He didn’t say Cristiano or Messi: “The one who has cost me the most has been Kun Agüero, who was very difficult to cover. But now we are talking about Haaland. I think he is a player who lives by passing. That is to say, you can’t control everything “said the German centre-back.
