The Italian Charles Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach, acknowledged that, despite reaching the final of the Spanish Super Cup after eliminating Valencia (1-1 and 4-3, on penalties), his team is not “at its best”, but he considered it something ” normal” due to the break for the World Cup, and he wanted to stay with the fact that, despite this, they are “compliing”. “A tough and complicated game, but there are no easy games at this level. It is true that we have made ourselves a little more complicated with a fairly obvious error in the goal, but the first part and the end of the game have been good. We have found each other a rival that has defended well and we have handled it quite well. It is evident that the team is not at its best, but the team has complied; at times, not playing very well, but fulfilling”he analyzed at a press conference.
“It wasn’t a physical problem because at the end of the game we did better, trying to score. We’re not at our best, as I said, and it’s something normal, little by little we have to find a better condition. We were affected by the problems of Camavinga, Lucas Vázquez, we had to bring in players who were on the limit like Carvajal and Mendy… but we are in the final again”, he continued. “Our level is not at the top and we have to suffer a little more to win the games”, complete. “Reaching the final is what we wanted to do. Usually, in the finals we do well. We’ll see what happens, as I said, it’s quite a different moment compared to last year, but we’re going to fight hard to win the Super Cup.” he added.
An Ancelotti que analyzed the ruling that caused Valencia’s 1-1 draw. “It has been an episode, the block has been more compact during the game; the play was individual but with a collective error with players who did not put pressure on the ball and a reading of the center that was not good”, he said.
Finally, he explained, after assuring in the previous one that they were not preparing the penalty shootout, as he managed the one on Wednesday. “The key is that I have put the three with the most experience, the three coldest. The last one was Vinicius, it was better that he did not shoot”he joked.
Gattuso: “I won a World Cup on penalties, but today we had no luck”
The Italian Gennaro Gattuso, Valencia coach, feels “very proud” for the level shown by his team despite the defeat, and assured that this “is the path” that they have “to follow in the future”. “I feel very proud of my team. We have played with a great mentality, it is the path we have to follow in the future. We have lacked this many times and we have to continue because it is a young team, with quality and mentality. We showed in the field for 120 minutes. We lost, but we have to continue like this,” he said at a press conference. “I don’t know if we’ve been better. We’ve played a tactically different game from the last few months. We’ve had chances to score, also Real Madrid; it was an open game,” he added.
“The physical aspect has not taken its toll on us. We have worked and run a lot because the team has to always be attentive. It is normal for the players to be tired”, analyzed a Gattuso who pondered Courtois, chosen as the best player of the match, and he referred to “luck” to win or lose in a penalty shootout. “Courtois has been playing at an incredible level for years. Our goalkeeper has also made four or five very good saves. We already knew that Courtois was a great goalkeeper, we didn’t have any luck today. In football I won a World Cup on penalties, but today we didn’t have any luck. “, he declared.
In addition, the Valencia coach spoke again about possible reinforcements for his team. “After a semifinal of a trophy that was important to us, I don’t like to talk about this. We have to do something because we have lost a midfielder. Almeida can play as a pivot, we have to get Guillamón back because he is an important player… but sure, and the club knows it, that we have to sign a midfielder”, he commented.
A Gattuso who also praised the quality of Fran Pérez, a 20-year-old youth player who participated in the Spanish Super Cup. “I have no doubt about Fran Pérez. He has improved a lot in the last four and five months. At 105 he didn’t have to shoot and he did pass the ball to Cavani… but he has personality, he shows the strength he has. He deserves all this “, said.
