Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the press at Real Madrid City in the build-up to the game with Espanyol on LaLiga matchday 3 (Sunday, 10:00pm CEST). Real Madrid will travel to Barcelona to try to get the next 3 points to continue the great start of the new season. The coach discussed, among other things, the condition of the squad, since in the last game Real suffered the absence of the Toni Kroos, which was followed by the departure of Casemiro, leaving the midfield with fewer alternatives.
The coach said: “Kroos has recovered well and has been training since the start of the week, as has Rodrygo. We've got Nacho, Vallejo and Odriozola out. We're in good shape, we're well prepared. We lost this fixture last year, Espanyol is a team that fights hard. It's a game where we'll need to be at our best to win".
"Rodrygo will have a more important part to play because he made a difference in so many games last year. He'll have more of a starting role this term. We can switch him out for Vinicius, we can try him alongside Karim as a forward or we could put him in place of Karim as well. He's a complete forward and it could be a big year for him".
Ten years of Luka Modric: “It has been a great signing for him and for Real Madrid. He's found the best place to showcase his quality and he continues to do that. He's had an incredibly consistent career. He plays every game, and at a very high level. He can keep going too, he looks fresh and motivated in every training session".
Asensio: “Asensio is assessing his position, we're waiting on him. Everything will be cleared up by September 2nd. If Asensio says, he'll be an important member of the squad. If he goes, we'll have to accept it, we'll weigh up if there are good offers for him and the club. He contributed a lot last year and that will be the same again if he stays. We're prepared for all options. If he stays, I'll be thrilled and if he wants to go we'll respect his decision”.
Mariano: “I'm counting on having Mariano here but we have to bear in mind he's got the best forward in the world in front of him. It's tougher for him to get minutes than for other guys. We have so many resources in this squad, if Marco goes we won't be signing anyone because we don't need to".
Ceballos: “Ceballos will stay, he has no doubts. He hasn't played too much so far because we've only had one game per week and I haven't rotated much. After the Betis game, we've got a game every three days. He'll get more game time because he deserves it”.
Casemiro's farewell: “It's not just a technical issue, it's about our relationships. We had such a good time last year and he helped us so much. When you say goodbye to Casemiro, it's tough and you're sad. He's starting out on a new chapter today and I wish him all the best”.
Valverde: “He's a complete player and he's shown he can play out wide. I don't know if he has the quality to play out wide but he interprets the position brilliantly. He really helps us out because he brings such energy and that allows us to have more intensity in the games”.
Fixture list: “When you play every three days there's not much you can do. We have more intense work for the guys who haven't played but the rest have to rest up and try to recover. We're going to use videos more often. We're used to this kind of thing, the less work you do, the less damage you're likely to cause".
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