The return of Vinícius for tomorrow’s derby at the Metropolitano, a month after the Brazilian’s injury and two weeks earlier than expected, is the best news for a Real Madrid that goes from victory to victory (six out of six this season) against an Atlético that is not going through a good moment. The Colchoneros were beaten in their last league game (3-0 at Mestalla) and were tied (1-1) in their debut in the Champions League in Rome against Lazio, with a goal from the local goalkeeper in the 94th minute.
The League has only five games, six with tomorrow’s, but if the whites win, Madrid would already take eleven points from Atlético, a considerable distance, although the latter have one less game because their match against Sevilla was suspended.
As in every derby, the expectation is maximum. In this case, it is worth remembering that in the last one at the Metropolitano there were many racist insults to Vinícius, both on and off the field, in addition to the usual ones to Courtois due to his past in the house. (Courtois will not be there due to injury). The Vinícius doll, which appeared on January 26 hanging from a bridge with the message “Madrid hates Real”, is another of these racist episodes. Ancelotti believes that now there will be a better atmosphere: “I think that after Valencia something has changed. I think that at the Metropolitano everything will be more calm, serene and respectful.”
At the press conference in Valdebebas, Ancelotti welcomed Vinícius’ recovery: “He started training yesterday with the team and today he was fine. The injury has been forgotten and he will be in the squad. We’ll see what he plays. Carvajal is not there. “The rest are fine, including Dani Ceballos and Mendy. Arda will return on Monday.”
Jude Bellingham withdrew from training on Friday due to stomach problems, but is now available: “It was an anecdote. He felt unwell at one time and has recovered well. He will be in the game,” said Ancelotti.
Ancelotti was also asked if there was a risk of relapse for Vinícius given that he was returning earlier than expected: “The risk is zero. If tomorrow we think there is a 1% risk we are not going to risk it. The important thing is that Vinícius has recovered. He lacks a little physical condition, but it is normal. These are things that we will evaluate tomorrow.”
The coach did not want to comment on whether Kroos and Modric will play: “It is very difficult to leave Kroos and Modric on the bench, but also Valverde, Tchouameni, or Camavinga. The reflection I made this week with them is that, when I make a change, The player leaves the field sad and the one who enters is happy. I understand it. I tell them not to be sad if they go out on the field, to be sad only if they don’t do well. The one who enters enters not because they do it wrong but because they have very high quality.”
When asked if he liked the derby or the classic more, Ancelotti did not take sides: “There are no differences. These are games that we like to prepare for and be protagonists in. There is special attention. I see the derby as a great opportunity. You are in the moment you are in. It is always special. They are the two teams from the capital, two teams with a lot of quality. It will be a very nice game to watch. I don’t think that the game that Atlético lost against Valencia will influence it. They played a good game against “Lazio. Tomorrow is a different match.”
In his press conference, Simeone valued Madrid’s good moment: “We will face an opponent who is very good, very strong, very confident in what they do. They have had significant losses and have resolved it in the best way. It will be hard, difficult “, like all the ones we have against Madrid. From there, we have to take the game to where we believe we can do damage.”
The Atlético coach agreed with Guardiola regarding the excess of games that causes injuries: “I listened to Guardiola, who is the best in the world and I share what he explained before starting the season with the injuries of Militão, Courtois and De Bruyne: There are many games, many trips, national team cuts, a preseason with little work schedule… We must be prepared to adapt to what we have to have and do it in the best way. The teams that have the best recovery in the shortest time “They will get more out of it, but there will be injuries. If you have stability and can use 12-13 players continuously it is better and if you have to continually change it is more complex, but it will happen. We have seen it and we have to face it.” Atlético arrives at the derby with the absences of Söyüncü, Reinildo, De Paul, Lemar and Barrios.
The Atlético coach sees his team in a position to be able to compete with Real Madrid and Barcelona: “In these ten or eleven years that we have been around, Madrid and Barça have always had great teams. They are great clubs and they can afford to have “Great footballers and even so we have competed very well. What we have to do is continue to improve ourselves, think about ourselves and from there look for the paths that led us to compete these eleven years.”
Of the last fourteen league derbies, Atlético has won one (the season in which Madrid was already league champion, a year ago). Simeone did not want to evaluate the data: “There is nothing to talk about. The statistics are there. There is nothing more.”