Carlo Ancelotti appeared in the Valdebebas press room in the preview of tomorrow’s Cup semifinal at the Bernabeu, the third classic of the season, with a measured and calm speech, very typical of him. The Italian expects a game that is very different from that of the Spanish Super Cup won by the blaugrana in Arabia, but he is convinced that the tie will reach Barcelona alive: “In the Super Cup we lacked commitment and forcefulness. We made mistakes. I don’t think it will go away to repeat. This is a very important match. We are very close to winning a competition that is important, but tomorrow is not the decisive match. This is a 180-minute match,” he said.
Ancelotti is not worried that they say that his team is dependent on Vinícius, the fittest footballer of his team: “That is a positive aspect. Vinícius is one of the best players in the world and depending on him is normal.” He’s not worried about Araujo’s marking either: “You don’t have to give Vinícius advice. We’re not going to change. Araújo is a very strong defender. It will be an entertaining matchup and hopefully Vini can win”.
Asked about the referee of the match, Ancelotti maintained the speech from last week: “At this moment I don’t think there is arbitration corruption. But in this moment. I don’t know who will be the referee tomorrow (Munuera Montero), but he will try to do it in the best possible way ”.
The Madrid coach assured that Rodrygo has trained well for the second day in a row, but did not confirm that he is in the squad. He also did not give any clues about the eleven or if Kroos and Modric are going to play together, whom he usually doses: “It could be that they both play. It will be seen tomorrow. We have to keep in mind that many things are needed. It may be that Kroos is not in the eleven to have energy, but he is because of his personality, courage and experience. Kroos may have more advantage there. You have to think (if it is convenient) to give up players of this level ”, he commented.
The defeat in the Spanish Super Cup is not an incentive for Ancelotti: “The desire we have is not for revenge, but because we are close to a title. The boiler raises its temperature.
The Cup has never been a competition that Madrid has watched with much interest and has not won it since 2014. Since then, the white club has won five Champions League. Ancelotti explains the reasons: “The Cup is a competition that at the beginning is not the most important because in the first phase with the Champions League and the League at stake you don’t put the best team, but when you are in the semifinal it already is. When you get here, with a title close, it’s important. The Copa del Rey only becomes important at the end”.
Madrid’s and Benzema’s anger over The Best awards was also commented on by Ancelotti: “I don’t know what Karim has done (he complained on social media exposing everything he had won last season). What he has done for us is there. He has helped us a lot. Hopefully we can thank him this year as well. There comes a decisive moment and having Karim is getting closer to the titles”.
And as for the winners, the Italian took the opportunity to congratulate them: “The World Cup has counted a lot in this award. He has said that Argentina is a deserved champion. It is normal that Messi, Martínez and Scaloni have won the award and I personally congratulate them,” he said.
Asked who he would have voted for as the best players, he declared: “There I have a conflict of interest. I would have voted for three from Madrid,” he said smiling.
For Ancelotti, the current season is being a good season: “Until now, compared to last year, we have two points less in LaLiga. But we were not going to play a Copa del Rey semifinal and we had lost the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 ( 1-0 in Paris against PSG). We are where we deserve to be. Now comes the good part”.