Ancelotti: "It'll be a competitive and evenly matched game"
"The team is in good shape. We have the desire and motivation, we're recovering players and I think we can put on a good performance," said the coach ahead of the Spanish Super Cup semi-final.
Carlo Ancelotti spoke in the press room at Al-Nassr’s stadium in Riyadh the day before the Madrid derby in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Atlético (Wednesday, 8pm CET): “Before I begin, I'd like to commemorate two legends who have left us these days: Zagallo and Beckenbauer. Two very important figures in this sport, who have brought many good things: seriousness, professionalism and love for this sport. I wanted to mention them.”
“The Super Cup is an important competition and we want to do everything we can to win it. The team is in good shape. We have the desire and motivation, we're recovering players and I think we can put on a good performance, considering that Atlético hurt us in the first game we played. We have to take that into account because they're a team that competes, fights and has quality. It'll be a competitive and evenly matched game.”
In goal
“One of the two will play tomorrow. I don’t want to say which one.”
Carousel of games against Atlético
“The fixture list is what it is, we've been drawn against Atlético and we're going to play them again. It's not that I like encountering Atlético because they're one of the best teams and it's always tough. We have to play. But it's the same mindset that Atlético will have. We're both very strong teams. I think Real Madrid and Atlético fans are going to enjoy these matches.”
Valverde
“He's a complete player, a complete midfielder, who can play football any number of ways. He can play as a winger, when we won the league and the Champions League; and he can play as a pivot, as he's doing now. He's very complete and very important for us. In the same game he can play in different positions and it's difficult to find a midfielder with this profile in the market. We're fortunate to have him. I think he still has room for improvement when he gains more character and personality. He's a very humble person. He understands his strength. I always prefer a humble player to an arrogant one but sometimes having a little bit of arrogance can make you a little bit stronger in character.”
Identification with clubs’ dugouts
“I can only speak for myself. I feel very comfortable in this environment, which is the white environment. From the outside, I believe that Simeone feels good in the Atlético environment. I think he's the ideal profile because if not you don't stay at a club for so long.”
Encounters with Simeone and his relationship with him
“We respect each other. We've spoken many times, we know each other because we've played against each other many times. He scored a goal against me with Lazio when I was playing for Juve and they won the title. We're neighbours and sometimes we see each other, but we always have a lot of respect.”
VAR
“It can be improved. It has to support the referee in making decisions. But the decisions always have to be taken by the referee. The communication with the referee can be improved but for us it doesn't change anything at all.”
Kroos-Valverde midfield pairing
“It may be split up because Tchouameni and Camavinga are back, and I have more options in midfield than in previous games.”
Barça
“I know they're a team that has competed in the past, they compete now, they've beaten us in two games and we've beaten them in two others. We have to respect them because they are rivals in the league and in the Champions League. They always have been and always will be.”
Rüdiger
“He's a very vigilant, focused and mentally strong defender. He has many qualities. He has experience because he's played in England and Italy, his defensive positioning is good, he has character, personality and he's a complete defender. He's also a pessimist, because he always thinks that something bad can happen, that's why he's so focused on the game.”
Offers from Saudi clubs
“That’s not true. I haven’t had any offers. They’ve forgotten about me.”
Previous meeting this season
“The last game we played did us a lot of damage. It looks like we fixed the damage and tomorrow we can produce a better performance than we did in the first game of the season against Atlético Madrid.”