REAL MADRID
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says “the squad has improved” and that the fans “will enjoy” Güler; also talks Mbappé
The Italian coach spoke ahead of Real Madrid’s pre-season tie against AC Milan in the USA.
Carlo Ancelotti spoke briefly to the media ahead of Real Madrid’s pre-season tie against AC Milan, the first part of their summer tour in the USA. Currently, the team are training in the UCLA facilities in Los Angeles.
What is special about a tour like this for Real Madrid?
We’ve always felt good here. It’s a lovely place, we can train well. We have competitive games where you can see how the team are doing and at what point they are at. We have to try things these next days. Everyone has come back in good shape. We are confident and excited to start the season well.
Are you happy with the squad or are you expecting more arrivals?
I’m very happy with what has come in. They are going to help us and bring quality. Fran García is going to cover the left side well, where we had problems in that area last year. Joselu can help us out in aerial play. Güler has a lot of talent, he is very young, I think the fans are going to enjoy this player.
Bellingham is a good midfielder with qualities that we don’t have in the squad: he arrives well to the box without the ball. I want to try something new at the start of this season, to see how it goes and it it doesn’t go well, we always have the old system to fall back on.
What is the situation with Brazil?
Let’s get this over with on day one: I will never speak about Brazil. I’m not going to talk again about this.
Is that it done? Are you not going to manage Brazil?
I am sticking to my contract that I have until 30 June 2024.
Will you renew if Madrid offer it?
I’m in no rush to renew, because I have a contract. The confidence in the club is full. Let’s see what happens this season. I think the season will go well, we have a lot of confidence because the squad has got better, although we have lost a key player in Karim [Benzema], a club legend. We have a very young group and we are convinced they will make us all happy.
How special would it be to have Kylian Mbappé appear?
I have never spoken about players who are not at Madrid. I can talk about the huge number of new players we have: Bellingham, Fran García, Arda Güler. We also have Brahim, who has come back very well after his experience in Milan. He is a more complete and strong player. I can also speak about how well Modric, Vinicius or Rodrygo have come back. It doesn’t seem right to me to talk about who’s not here.
What are the objectives for the season?
[Smiles] Champions League, LaLiga, Copa del rey, Super Cup, as always... nothing has changed.
Can Madrid compete for all those objectives with just one striker?
Yes, yes. Because it’s true that we always had Karim, although he wasn’t a ‘pure number 9′, but we can adapt to the characteristics of the players we have. Bellingham, for example, can bring a lot.
It’s said that Mbappé could arrive, who is the natural substitute for Benzema?
We already have him.
Joselu?
It could be Joselu or we can play with a different system.
There’s talk of a new system, will you bring back the ‘number 10′ role? Will Bellingham be the ‘number 10′?
It can be Bellingham, it can be Güler, it can be Luka or Rodrygo. It doesn’t mean you have to be a midfielder, an inside player, just like Rodrygo did last year.
