77 days later, Real Madrid and Barcelona They see each other’s faces again. Change the place, Jeddah for Madrid. But, above all, the situation of both teams changes. That 0-4 was more misleading than the match itself showed, but as usual in football, the result determined most of the analyses. Two and a half months later, Madrid has already won two titles, is five points ahead of Barça in the League and arrives at the desert classic in a very different state than the first classic.
«We have to think about what happened in the League match and we have made a fairly clear evaluation. We have to try to repeat the good things of the first half and not so much of the second half. And of course the offside aspect is important and we have to counteract it, but the reality is that in an unpredictable match. I am convinced that we are going to do it not well, but very well, but that does not mean that the result will be favorable to us,” explains Carletto.
The Italian wants to be positive and is convinced of winning the third title of the season, but he knows that against Barça the difficulty is maximum. That is why he speaks naturally about a possible defeat: «A defeat is a defeat, but the season continues. The team has improved, that is evident, and a defeat would not be good. But that wouldn’t mean the team is going to go back. Keep going.”
Ancelotti believes that the overwhelming results, for both sides, in the last classics is due to the fact that individual quality has prevailed over balance and collective play. That is why he emphasizes good defensive work to increase the chances of victory. But it is evident that the individual aspect is also key: “Bellingham is on a great streak and in this period he is making a difference.”
Barça will be in front, it is assumed, with Iñaki Peña. He did not start in the semifinal for arriving four minutes late to the activation session. Ancelotti understands Flick’s decision: «The schedule is important. The players have to be disciplined, because you don’t like the whole group waiting for a delay. If it happens, I want explanations for the delay. Know the reason why you are late. If the reason is acceptable, nothing happens. But if the reason is not acceptable, action is taken.
Where Ancelotti is not so on top is the time the players spend in hotels. There he usually has his hand open: «I don’t ask much of the players. We spend a lot of time together during the year and, therefore, I leave him a lot of freedom. I’m not going to bother you with videos. They have a good time together and there is a good atmosphere, but I don’t know what they do in the room and I don’t want to know either,” he said, laughing.
Laughter that was not there when a Saudi journalist asked him about Gil Manzano and the Real Madrid TV videos about the referees. It was the same journalist who in Doha already questioned him about whether he had lost control of the locker room: «Gil Manzano is a good and experienced referee. He has refereed many important games. “Real Madrid TV has the same right as you to express your opinion.”
#Ancelotti #player #arrives #late #explanations #acceptable #measures
