Spain Supercup
The Real Madrid coach is cautious in the face of the classic: “I would be worried if the players think we are favorites, but they don’t think so”
Carlo Ancelotti is aware that the different dynamics in which Real Madrid and Barça arrive at the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup to be played on Wednesday in the Arabian city of Riyadh increase the pressure on the whites, who are hung with the poster of favorites. However, the experienced technician predicts a level crash. «It will always be an even game. The numbers of the classification do not count, it is a semifinal match of the Spanish Super Cup and it will be an even match, as was the League match at the Camp Nou, “he said at a press conference.
“We arrived well, with all the enthusiasm and the good attitude that we need to have to try to bring home this Super Cup, which is the first title of the season,” said the Real Madrid coach, outstanding leader of the League, a competition in the that takes 17 points to his adversary on Wednesday. Taking into account that abysmal difference, would it be a debacle for Real Madrid to lose to the Barça team? They asked Ancelotti. «When you watch a game, anything can happen. We have to play the game, knowing that we are playing against an opponent who is strong, who has had more problems this season than us, but it is a game in which two teams compete with the same goal, to reach the final, “he said.
He had good words when judging Xavi Hernández’s work at Barça. “It is a team that I like because they have a fairly clear idea of the game they want to play. You are following the identity of this club. He has had a good streak when he arrived and with his contributions the team will improve, “he said about his counterpart from Terrassa. He also praised the mix of experienced and novice players in the culé team. «Apart from the veterans they have like Piqué, Busquets or Alba who always make an important contribution, there are young people who are pushing from behind like Gavi or Nico. There are players with a great future there, “he praised.
He acknowledged that, as always, he faces the stake with tension. «All the parties create a lot of fear to me. Before Valencia I was nervous like few times. This is the same, “said Ancelotti, who denied being concerned in any case by the favoritism attributed to Real Madrid. “I would worry that the players think we are favorites, but the players do not think so. What they think is that you can play a good game and that we will do everything to win it, “he said.
Regarding the eleven that he will have to face Barça, he explained that he has a couple of doubts. «Carvajal is one, another is the right wing … I also have fresh players like Rodrygo who can be used instead of Asensio. Jovic is back. In the previous one, as always when playing against Barça, there is concern, but also illusion. He likes to play these games », he completed.
Kroos: «I haven’t seen much of Barça»
Ancelotti was preceded in the press room at the Principe Faisal stadium by Toni Kroos. The German surprised with his frankness when they questioned him about the changes that Barça has undergone since Xavi Hernández’s landing on the bench. «Lately I have not seen many Barça games, I have other things to do and watch our games. But I know them well, they have some doubts and in general they still have a lot of high-quality people. I can’t say what has changed with Xavi ”, said the Teuton.
Like Ancelotti, Greifswald’s metronome sees the forces more leveled than many think. «It may be that in the League we are better than Barça. But from my experience there are no favorites in a classic. It is a special match in which anything can happen. There is a lot of quality also in Barcelona, ”he said.
Questioned by the style, the German stressed that he prefers to have the ball to counterattack, but stressed that the most important thing is to know how to manage the times. «Those who know me know that I always want to have the ball, but the key to a good team is to adapt to the needs. If you have speed up you have to take advantage of this. It can be a way of controlling, but I always prefer to have the ball. It is worth 90% possession and winning 1-0. You have to look for the holes, but possession alone is not worth it, “he reflected.
Finally, he highlighted the improvement experienced by his team in recent months, although he insisted on the need to maintain the path so as not to jeopardize the work done so far. «At the start of the season we won many games without playing very well. Now we have improved and we have done very well in very tough matches. But we are in January. In January you don’t win anything, except possibly the Super Cup. We must continue because there is a team close in the league and if you fail they will be there and if we think it is done we will have problems ».
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