Ancelotti: “The priority is Inter, Atlético will arrive on Sunday”

Carlo Ancelotti has been in the world of football for more than 40 years and knows that it is best to go step by step. Despite the fact that a derby awaits just around the corner that could be decisive for the future of the League, the Real Madrid coach focuses all his energies on Tuesday’s Champions duel. «You have to prioritize the day. Today the priority is the match against Inter, Atlético will arrive on Sunday, “he said on the eve of a clash in which the whites play the first place in their group in the highest continental competition, which would allow them to have a cross more favorable in eighths. “It is a prestigious game for us because we play against a team that is doing very well, we play first place, which is important, and we play in our stadium with our fans. They are three important reasons to see a game that is going to be interesting, “he stressed.

Real Madrid come to the duel with Inter launched, after adding ten wins in their last eleven games, the last eight in a row. What are the keys to that formidable streak? Ancelotti was asked. “Quality and commitment are important, and we are showing it. Sometimes one or the other stands out more, but we are showing both, “he said.

Although the euphoria has shot up due to the great moment that Real Madrid is going through, Ancelotti does not even imagine lifting the ‘fourteenth’. I don’t have this idea in my head. Now I think about preparing the games well, the strategy, the Inter game is a game we want to play, we play against a strong rival at the Bernabéu, it is the Champions League. Reaching the end is difficult, but the objective is to reach the final, it is what is necessary to win the tournament, “he said.

Ancelotti assumes, yes, that the demand makes Real Madrid great. “It is the history and tradition of this club, which is the best in the world, the one that has won the most titles for this type of demand. If you are at Real Madrid, you have to think that this is the case. We enjoyed the ‘tenth’ but we can’t be happy because we have to move on. This is what this club and this hobby are asking for ”, he commented.

The transalpine did not want to enter the rag when they questioned him if Real Madrid is among the favorites to win the Champions League, but he remarked that he is in a position to fight as equals with anyone. “I can’t say if he is a favorite or not, but you can compete with all these favorite teams because of the quality and experience we have. If you want to win this competition you have to face the best teams in the world. It doesn’t change much if you have to face a strong team in the round of 16 or the quarterfinals. I do not know if we are going to win, but we will compete, “he said.

Nothing to prove

He underlined the connection with his staff when they asked him if he has something to prove, after a few years away from the great benches of the continent. «I want to do a good job so that the team can win. I personally don’t have to prove something to someone. I have a young coaching staff and the young people generate a lot of enthusiasm for you. I feel very well with this coaching staff because we can combine very well the enthusiasm that they have and the experience that I have, “he argued.

He applauded the work of Militao, who said he has “some top individual qualities, is strong in the head and does very well in one-on-one”, as well as that of Alaba, who commented that he is “an intelligent player” who he has adapted very well to Real Madrid. Finally, he denied that parallels can be drawn between the last year of his previous stage at the helm of the Whites, when they accumulated 22 games in a row undefeated but ended up losing the League and the Champions League and the current situation. «It is difficult to compare the situations, each year has its history. It is true that that year we were not successful, but we were very close. We almost won the League and stayed in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Between January and February things did not go well, there were significant injuries, such as Modric’s. But each year has its history, it cannot be compared ».

Casemiro, before a Real Madrid game. / EP

Casemiro: «It is a privilege to have Vinicius»

Casemiro was one of the main supporters of Vinicius when the carioca was meat of memes. Now that the former Flamengo player shines with the brilliance of the brightest stars, the Real Madrid midfielder is proud of his compatriot. «For us it is a privilege to have Vinicius. He is in a very good moment and when Vinicius is well it is important to us. For me the difference this year is that he has had games that he did not play so well but he is being decisive as a top player. Against Sevilla he did not play a great game but he was calm to score a great goal, “he said.

Is Vinicius the most destabilizing footballer in the world right now? They questioned him. “Difficult question. We have very important players here, we have Karim, Courtois, who is at an incredible level, Kroos who is in a great moment … Talking about Vinicius is difficult, we don’t see all the other leagues. But without a doubt it is in a very important moment. Keep it up. I see Vinicius every day and I see his quality, he shows in each game what he knows how to do, even when he plays badly. I don’t know if he is the best Brazilian of the moment: there is Gabriel Jesús, Firmino, Neymar … But it is clear that he is in a top-2 or top-3. You never know. He suffered a lot here, he suffered a lot of criticism, that’s why I tell him to enjoy the moment. We have a great player there for the next 10 or 15 years, “he said.

Do you see Vinicius compatible with Mbappé? Would the PSG winger have the approval of the dressing room if he arrived at Real Madrid next season? They questioned him at another time. «He is a great player. It was recently in the top 3 in the world. Mbappé is compatible with any player in the world. The two of them have had an incredible racing moment. All the people who love football greatly admire Mbappé because he is a great player, ”he said.

He regretted not being able to count on Benzema against Inter. «Karim’s loss is to lose the best nine in the world. Surely we will need it. We have Jovic and Mariano. The other day Luka played a great game and we have to congratulate him because it was a difficult game for him because he doesn’t have minutes, ”said Casemiro, who finally praised Ancelotti’s winning gene. «He and the coaching staff have surprised me a lot. They really want to win, to show that they are top. The desire they transmit in training, in the matches, the desire to win, how they prepare the matches … After so many years, you might think they would relax, but they suffer more than us, they are more aware than us, “he stressed. .