Ancelotti: “Real Madrid TV has the same right as anyone to express their opinions about the referees”

With the tranquility guaranteed by so many years of career and so many successes achieved, Carlo Ancelotti analyzed the final of the Spanish Super Cup against Barça with his enthusiasm intact. “We arrived well, all the players have recovered well. As in all finals, we are very eager and very excited,” he said, sitting in the press room at the Al Jawhara stadium, showing obvious good humor, in the run-up to the classic.

The duel against the greatest rival is undoubtedly marked by the league match in which Barça won 0-4 at the Bernabeu, marked by the 12 offsides incurred by the Madrid forwards. “We have analyzed what happened and we are going to try to repeat the good things and avoid repeating the bad things. Playing in a final against Barça is always something special,” he stressed. Regarding offsides, the Italian added: “It is an important aspect of the match, we have reviewed it and evaluated it to be able to counteract it.”

Ancelotti did not want to fuel the controversy over the presence of Dani Olmo in the duel after the extremely cautious decision granted by the CSD and focused his shot on sports. “We have to try to be able to stop him on the field because everyone knows he is a great player. We have to try to defend well so that all of their quality does not emerge,” he noted.

The duel will be directed by Gil Manzano, one of the many referees against whom Real Madrid Television has targeted with its videos. Ancelotti started dodging fires. “He is a good referee, he has a lot of experience and has called many important games,” he confirmed. Shortly after, he couldn’t help but defend white television. “Real Madrid Television has the same right to express its opinions about the referees as you do,” he told a Saudi journalist.

Finally, the transalpine coach explained his way of acting in cases of delays of footballers, in reference to the substitution of Iñaki Peña in the semifinal against Athletic. “Keeping schedules is an important part of a footballer’s job. When it happens, I ask for explanations of what happened. If the reason is acceptable, nothing happens. If it is not, I take action.”