Not even the draw that paired Real Madrid with Manchester City made Carlo Ancelotti nervous. The Italian coach does not lack experience, having won the Champions League four times and lifted the European Cup two more times as a player. “In the entire history of the Champions League, the quarterfinals have always been complicated,” he recalled.
City are the current champions. But Madrid conquered it in 2022. “The rival is the one that everyone believes is the favorite. It will be difficult. Here we will do well and we don’t care about playing the second leg in Manchester,” he clarified.
Ancelotti seemed confident despite the 4-0 defeat he conceded at the Etihad last year. “It will be complicated for us and them. It is perhaps the best team now in Europe. To win the competition you have to beat the best. To win the Champions League you have to beat City. We have a lot of confidence,” he stressed.
In his opinion, “it is going to be a very close tie where there are no favorites,” he conceded.
What’s more, the white coach warned that Madrid may even have important reinforcements. “I am quite optimistic. We are better than ever. We are leaders in the League, we are in the Champions League quarterfinals and Militao and Courtois are going to return,” he listed. Although then he remembered the game against Osasuna. “We’re better than ever but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to have a flat tire.”
Regarding when the Belgian goalkeeper and the Brazilian defender can return, Ancelotti discovered that they will use the break to see the evolution of both, injured and operated on their knees in August, in games. “We will take advantage of the break to play two friendly matches against the youth team so that they can get minutes. I think they can help,” he added.