Ancelotti: “It's a long season and we're going to fight until the end”
“The match against Villareal is a great opportunity for us to overcome a tough period”, said the coach.
Carlo Ancelotti spoke in the Real Madrid City press room on the day before Real Madrid's Copa del Rey last-16 encounter away against Villarreal Thursday, 9pm CET. The coach said: 'The match is a great opportunity for us to overcome a tough period. There tend to be moments like this throughout the season. It's a tough and tricky game, but we've got the hunger and motivation to come out of it soon. We have to stay calm and be confident. It's a long season and we're going to fight until the end in every competition'.
'We didn't expect to pick up injuries that have affected us a bit, like the ones to Tchouameni, Alaba and Lucas Vázquez. January is a complicated month and it was natural that we wouldn't be at full strength. We have to hang in there for this month and these matches. We're up against strong teams who're playing well, but we're never going to give up. I'm convinced that we're going to turn this situation around and I'm optimistic that it's happening tomorrow. We're going to turn it around and it won't be too late'.
Will he rest Courtois and Benzema?
'Courtois and Benzema will both play. Kroos is doing very well and is in good shape. After Modrić returned from the World Cup, his condition isn't ideal, but he'll gradually play his part until the end of the season'.
Praise for Nacho
'He's very reliable and can bring good elements in this situation. We've been optimistic defensively during this stretch and we've conceded six goals. We could have avoided five of them, except for Alaba's penalty'.
Fitness level after the World Cup
'It was to be expected that January was going to be difficult and they wouldn't be at full fitness right now. We have to ride out these games. It's a difficult game tomorrow and everyone is writing Real Madrid off, but we want to turn this situation around'.
The start of a new era
'We've got a young team. They all talk about Modrić, Kroos, Benzema... But we must also talk about the youngsters. Vinicius, Camavinga, Rodrygo, Valverde, Militao, Tchouameni and players who are going to join in the future. I think this is the beginning of a new era. The players who have defined an era at this club are coming to the end of their careers, but there are others coming in. It's a period of transition from an incredible era to a new era. The day that Karim, Toni and Luka stop playing, others will take this team forward. It's not the end, it's the beginning of a new era'.
Kroos and Modrić
'Toni is playing very well in every game, he's in good shape. He's rested, he didn't go to the World Cup, he's worked hard and contributed to the team. Luka is different, he was at the World Cup and he's not in peak condition but he'll gradually play his part until the end of the season'.
'We didn't expect to pick up injuries that have affected us a bit, like the ones to Tchouameni, Alaba and Lucas Vázquez. January is a complicated month and it was natural that we wouldn't be at full strength. We have to hang in there for this month and these matches. We're up against strong teams who're playing well, but we're never going to give up. I'm convinced that we're going to turn this situation around and I'm optimistic that it's happening tomorrow. We're going to turn it around and it won't be too late'.
Will he rest Courtois and Benzema?
'Courtois and Benzema will both play. Kroos is doing very well and is in good shape. After Modrić returned from the World Cup, his condition isn't ideal, but he'll gradually play his part until the end of the season'.
Praise for Nacho
'He's very reliable and can bring good elements in this situation. We've been optimistic defensively during this stretch and we've conceded six goals. We could have avoided five of them, except for Alaba's penalty'.
Fitness level after the World Cup
'It was to be expected that January was going to be difficult and they wouldn't be at full fitness right now. We have to ride out these games. It's a difficult game tomorrow and everyone is writing Real Madrid off, but we want to turn this situation around'.
The start of a new era
'We've got a young team. They all talk about Modrić, Kroos, Benzema... But we must also talk about the youngsters. Vinicius, Camavinga, Rodrygo, Valverde, Militao, Tchouameni and players who are going to join in the future. I think this is the beginning of a new era. The players who have defined an era at this club are coming to the end of their careers, but there are others coming in. It's a period of transition from an incredible era to a new era. The day that Karim, Toni and Luka stop playing, others will take this team forward. It's not the end, it's the beginning of a new era'.
Kroos and Modrić
'Toni is playing very well in every game, he's in good shape. He's rested, he didn't go to the World Cup, he's worked hard and contributed to the team. Luka is different, he was at the World Cup and he's not in peak condition but he'll gradually play his part until the end of the season'.
Camavinga
'The substitution against Valencia was a technical one. He played well, but I changed him so as not to risk playing with 10 players. He played well against Barcelona, but I switched him because I wanted to bring more players on up front. I really believe in him. Admittedly, I've taken him off a number of times at the end of the first half and I haven't always been fair to him in this respect, but I have complete confidence in him and he'll contribute to the team tomorrow just as he always does'.
Comparisons with previous years
'It's a coincidence. We had a slump in January last year but we came out of it well and we'll do the same this season'.
Tchouameni's replacement
'We think that in some games, when we have more control of the ball, Kroos can be more useful playing deeper, but in others, a more positional defensive midfielder would be more effective for the team. Camavinga could be an option in this case, without Tchouameni, as he has that profile'.
The academy
'Real Madrid really look after the youth system. There are some young players who are progressing very well and will be important for Real Madrid in the future. Sometimes there are more players coming through and other times less so. The players born in 2004 which we have are very good and they will soon be ready to help the first team. Vinicius Tobías is in the squad and he could contribute with the absence of Carvajal and Lucas'.
The coach's role
'In a difficult time, the coach has to make a good assessment of what is happening. He has to be as objective as possible and simplify things as much as possible. The simplest thing to do in football is to defend well'.
The secrets to returning to winning ways
'The key is to not lose confidence in a team that has performed very well up to November. We're competing in very big competitions, in LaLiga, in the Champions League and in 20 days' time we have the Club World Cup. We have fantastic players in our squad and we must continue to believe in them'.
'The substitution against Valencia was a technical one. He played well, but I changed him so as not to risk playing with 10 players. He played well against Barcelona, but I switched him because I wanted to bring more players on up front. I really believe in him. Admittedly, I've taken him off a number of times at the end of the first half and I haven't always been fair to him in this respect, but I have complete confidence in him and he'll contribute to the team tomorrow just as he always does'.
Comparisons with previous years
'It's a coincidence. We had a slump in January last year but we came out of it well and we'll do the same this season'.
Tchouameni's replacement
'We think that in some games, when we have more control of the ball, Kroos can be more useful playing deeper, but in others, a more positional defensive midfielder would be more effective for the team. Camavinga could be an option in this case, without Tchouameni, as he has that profile'.
The academy
'Real Madrid really look after the youth system. There are some young players who are progressing very well and will be important for Real Madrid in the future. Sometimes there are more players coming through and other times less so. The players born in 2004 which we have are very good and they will soon be ready to help the first team. Vinicius Tobías is in the squad and he could contribute with the absence of Carvajal and Lucas'.
The coach's role
'In a difficult time, the coach has to make a good assessment of what is happening. He has to be as objective as possible and simplify things as much as possible. The simplest thing to do in football is to defend well'.
The secrets to returning to winning ways
'The key is to not lose confidence in a team that has performed very well up to November. We're competing in very big competitions, in LaLiga, in the Champions League and in 20 days' time we have the Club World Cup. We have fantastic players in our squad and we must continue to believe in them'.