The conquest of the reborn Intercontinental Cup, even if it was against a noticeably inferior rival like the Mexican Pachuca, has been an injection of self-esteem and security for Real Madrid in a season that until now has been gray. Carlo Ancelotti, discussed at times, has been reinforced on the bench; Kylian Mbappé, brand new and long-awaited summer signing, scored again and added his second white title; and Jude Bellingham is once again that all-round footballer capable of being differential in several different areas of the field. And if all that were not enough, if Barça or Atlético do not win this Saturday in their duel in Montjüic, the Madridistas will have the opportunity to finish the year as leaders of the League if they beat Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Thus, with the spirits more tempered by the white house, Ancelotti leaves behind his strange version of the beginning of the season and returns to being that relaxed and thorough coach, simple when it comes to interpreting and analyzing football, and very competent in handling a locker room full of world stars.
This was shown in the press conference prior to Sunday’s league clash against Sevilla (4:15 p.m.), in which even He dared to end the adaptation of Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid, although he pointed out that the French forward has not yet reached his best side.
«His adaptation period is over, now he has shown a good version. I think he can still improve, but in the last few games he has done well,” said the Italian coach. «Now he has recovered well from the small injury he had, He is more motivated, he is more excited, he is happy to be here. “I think that his period, which he obviously needed, because everyone needs it, is over,” he insisted.
Before the press and in Valdebebas, Ancelotti clarified that Mbappé “has to improve only in continuity, trying to make plays that only he can make as frequently as possible.” «The truth is that I don’t ask him to be very involved in the game because I think his best characteristic is unmarking, attacking the line, this is what we ask of him. After this, you have to have someone who, when you get unmarked, puts you on the ball,” he explained.
Atlético, in the equation for the title
One of those players must be the Brazilian Vinícius, who will not be against Sevilla at the Bernabéu. “We are returning home after many away games,” said Ancelotti, who explained that “ending the year here with our fans is very exciting for us and we want to finish it well.”
«It’s going to be a much more competitive League than in recent years. when there were only Real Madrid and Barcelona. Now I also believe that Atlético is going to fight, because it has all the resources to fight this competition. It is going to be a very entertaining League until the end and I think that, due to the fact that it is going to be very competitive, you can win with less than 90 points,” he analyzed.
As a review, Ancelotti pointed out 2024 as “a fantastic, unforgettable year. Unrepeatable, I don’t know. “I think it can be repeated, we are all capable of getting the best out of ourselves because the squad is of a very high level.”
In fact, the Italian gave the year “a very high, outstanding grade.” «Considering the many difficulties we have hadbecause we have had many, we have been able to win five titles, which is a very, very good thing. “Next year the goal is always the same: compete, fight, fight and win the Champions League again.”
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