REAL MADRID
Ancelotti opens up on Real Madrid’s recent struggles
The Italian coach spoke to the press ahead of Real Madrid’s game against Villarreal.
Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media ahead of Real Madrid’s home game against Villarreal (Saturday October 5, with kick off at 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m.), a match that takes on added significance following the team’s loss in Lille. The Italian coach emphasised his self-criticism and expressed confidence that the team will improve.
On what he expects from Villarreal: ”They are playing very well. For us, this is an opportunity to reconnect and play good football again.”
On his mood: ”I’m in a very good mood, as always. This defeat is an opportunity if we learn from it and respond well. We’ve already engaged in self-criticism.”
Ancelotti calms fears: “Nothing is fundamentally wrong”
On whether the team’s preparation is where it should be and if the criticism after the Lille match is overblown: ”Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but nothing is fundamentally wrong after Wednesday’s game. There are times when you need to reset, and we need to do that quickly. A good winning streak can sometimes make you feel invincible, but a defeat brings you back to reality. We aren’t quite at our best yet, and some players aren’t at their peak. We aren’t far from where we want to be, but we lack defensive intensity, and offensively, our ball circulation needs improvement.”
On what was discussed in the dressing room: ”We’ve talked about the need to move the ball quicker to our forwards, and we acknowledge that we lack defensive intensity. If we lose again, we’ll address it, but right now, we’ve gone 40 games unbeaten in LaLiga. If we lose, we’ll be sad, but we’ll find solutions.”
On Mbappé's absence from the French national team: ”He had an issue that now seems resolved. He’s been training normally. I don’t interfere with national team decisions. Deschamps decided not to call him up. I understand Madrid’s medical staff spoke with France’s medical staff, and they made the decision together.”
On whether the team is missing a player like Kroos in midfield:”I don’t think we’re missing that profile. Modric has the technical quality, Camavinga has it, Valverde has it, Bellingham has it, and Tchouameni is crucial for us defensively.”
On why Güler has had limited playing time:”He plays less because there’s a lot of competition for places, which isn’t easy. However, he’s seeing more game time than last season.”
On Cardona’s claim that Villarreal will play bravely and if that favors Madrid:”I’m not sure what it means to be brave. Every team that comes here wants to earn points. Our job is to prepare as best we can.”
The game between Real Madrid and Villarreal will be played on Saturday October 5, with kick off at 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT. The following channels will be broadcasting the game live in the US: ESPN Deportes, ESPN. You can also watch the game live on FuboTV, which offers a free trial.
As well as that, you can follow the action as it unfolds on AS USA: our friends at Opta will be providing minute-by-minute coverage of what’s happening on the pitch.