Real Madrid, after three days of vacation, returned to training this morning to prepare for the Champions League final on June 1 against Borussia Dortmund in London. Carlo Ancelotti gave a press conference ahead of tomorrow’s match at La Cerámica against Villarreal, the penultimate team in the League. The Italian’s message was clear. Everything about the renewals, including those of Kroos and Modric, is on hold until after Wembley. From his words he deduces that there will not be many casualties in the squad: “This season we have had a morbid transition. The transition will also continue next year. “Everything about the renovations is now secondary until after the final.”
The Italian coach did not want to talk much about Xavi Hernández’s situation at Barcelona: “It is very difficult to give an opinion on the subject. I have a lot of respect for Xavi, as a person and coach. In my opinion, the work he has done since he arrived has been very good and I wish him the best for the future.”
Ancelotti did not give many clues about who will be the goalkeeper in the final. He did announce that Lunin will play tomorrow and at the time he said that against Betis he will alternate who does not play in Villarreal (so he will say goodbye to the season at the Bernabéu Courtois: “There are no doubts about what I have to do until June 1 , which is to prepare the entire squad so that they are as good as possible. There is no debate in goal, you have it. Lunin has had a fantastic season and has helped us reach the final. before: the best in the world.”
Ancelottti said he had no problem with Modric for the Croatian to accept his role as a catalyst: “Before being a player at a top level, one of the best in the world, he is even more spectacular as a person. We have never had a problem, nor will we ever have one. “We respect each other a lot.”
The Madrid coach also praised Kroos: “Toni as a person is German. And I feel very German in that sense, I don’t talk much, I prefer to listen… When he has to say something, he says it clearly. He has few doubts, he is quite clear, he is sincere, very honest, a profile that I like,” he stated.
Ancelotti gives importance to the La Cerámica match: “We approach it as a preparation for the final, we traveled with the entire squad and we take it as an important match to have a competitive rhythm and a good attitude and dynamics. Villarreal has a lot at stake. The goal is to maintain the good dynamic.”
And he continued: “The best way to prepare for the final is to play at 100%. We have done very well against Granada and against Alavés. It will be like this tomorrow too. I have spoken very little in these last two games and we have scored nine goals and conceded zero. “I’m thinking about talking even less: things are going well.”
