As always does after the games, Carlo Ancelotti appeared in the press room at the Santiago Bernabéu following Real Madrid's win over Leipzig on matchday two of the Champions League Group Stage. Madrid clinched the victory using their experience and accuracy in front of the goal as the opponent put on such a fine display and made the game very tough. The match was intense and beautiful with both teams playing it with too much passion.
Ancelotti expressed himself in the following terms: "In the second half, when they lowered the energy to focus on quick transitions, we pushed on and we deserved to win it. I can't ask the players to deliver swashbuckling football at this stage of the season. We put in an intelligent display. We'd like to have scored earlier but it's the Champions League and we're up against a Leipzig side who are flying high and just beat Dortmund. We were a bit concerned about this game but in the end we got the job done".
"It wasn't a spectacular performance but to be honest the key thing for us was to nullify their counter-attack because they can be very dangerous. We pushed our lines high up in the first half and we had it largely under control at the back, they only got in behind us a couple of times. We wanted to make sure defensive awareness was central to our game because the counter attack is their greatest strength", the coach continued.
Praise for Valverde: "I found it odd he only got one goal last year, with the shooting ability he has. I told him if he wasn't capable of scoring at least 10 goals in a season, I'd have to rip up my coaching credentials. He's showing confidence in his quality. It's not just energy and dynamism, it's about being smart on the pitch and reading situations well. He's got a great shot on him. We'll have to wait a little longer to call him the best in the world".
His players' passion: “It's normal to get angry and be concerned during a match. I can't remember a game when I've sat calmly in the dugout. What's really notable about this team is that these players are all true madridistas and that ultimately tells. The weight of the shirt is a significant responsibility and it makes you feel a madridista like all the fans”.
Asensio: "He's played a key role in winning this game, just like Valverde. His reaction after becoming frustrated was very good. He has trained with real focus and he put in a great performance today".
Vini Jr.’s form: “He’s focused, working hard, training well and is enjoying his football. It’s not everything that’s talked about that makes him a better player, but because he’s showing consistency in his game and is better in front of goal”.
Tchouameni: “He’s a really clever player. When you play in midfielder and are good on the ball and have good positioning, it’s all you need. He has to improve in possession, but his intelligence has enabled him to sign for Real Madrid. He’s a young player who’s keen to learn and asks a lot of questions. He’ll improve in terms of the quality of his play”.
Benzema’s absence: “Our game plan would have been no different with him. We didn’t want the opposition to capitalise on their pace on the counter-attack. We’ll have to see whether he’s able to train or not in the coming days. We won’t be risking anything at all. If he trains well on Saturday, he’ll be involved on Sunday”.
Camavinga’s energy: “When the game is end to end is when his energy shines through more than when it’s a positional game, when it’s tougher for him to use his energy to get past players. When the spaces open up and it’s end to end, he excels. He has to learn to get his positioning right when the game is tighter on a tactical level”.
The match against Leipzig was Carlo Ancelotti's 183rd in the Real Madrid hotseat (136 wins, 22 draws and 25 defeats), and saw him draw level with Luis Molowny in fifth spot in the standings for the number of games in the madridista dugout., where he lies behind Miguel Muñoz (605), Zidane (263), Del Bosque (246) and Beenhakker (197). Ancelotti's games in charge have come in LaLiga (119), the Champions League (40), the Copa del Rey (16), the Spanish Super Cup (four), the Club World Cup (two) and the UEFA Super Cup (two).
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