Ancelotti: "The aim is to keep displaying quality and collective commitment"
"It's a very tight schedule in this period, but we have to hang in there," added the Real Madrid coach.
Carlo Ancelotti spoke in the press room at Real Madrid City on the day before the team’s game against Granada at the Santiago Bernabéu, on matchday 15 of LaLiga (Saturday, 6.30pm CET). The coach had the following to say: “The aim is to keep our good run going and to keep displaying quality and collective commitment, which is crucial in this period. This is how we have built up this good run and the good results.”
“Bellingham is ready to play. He doesn't have any problems. He's a bit tired and he had a slight discomfort in his ankle. We preferred him not to have contact to not risk it, but he’ll be ok for tomorrow and will play.”
Injuries
“Injuries are a general issue. Not just ours. Players get injured in every game. It's a very tight schedule, especially in this period when the Champions League group stage is being decided and the league table is starting to take shape. We have to hang in there and this has been an opportunity for the players who have had less playing time because they've been able to show their quality and are contributing significantly to the team.”
Kepa
“He's available and I'll talk to him afterwards. He trained for the first time today and has been given the all-clear. Tomorrow we'll go with Lunin and then he'll have a week to prepare for the Betis game.”
Fixture calendar
“That's the way the calendar is. We have a game on Thursday 21st at 9.30pm. It's going to be very cold in Vitoria, but that's the way it is. I think it could be played earlier. We have players who are travelling to South America to celebrate Christmas and it's going to cut into their rest days. Playing that day at that time doesn't make sense.”
Valverde
“It's hard to say where he contributes the most. He contributes wherever I put him. As a winger, inside midfielder or as a holding midfielder. He's a very complete midfielder. He contributes a lot in many areas. He scores goals, he adds energy to the game and he has quality. He's a crucial player for us.”
On who Bellingham reminds him of
“He's a spectacular player, fantastic. We're delighted with him. He's highly respected because of the work he's capable of doing. I never saw Di Stéfano play and I made the comparison between Zidane and Bellingham at the last press conference. I'm surprised with him as I was surprised when I first saw Kaka. We've never asked him to score goals. He's scoring because he's got this fantastic ability to get into the box at the right time. He has to continue like that. There will come a time when he's not going to score goals, but everyone has respect for him.”
A potential dip in form in January or February?
“Who knows if the dip may not come tomorrow. Football changes very quickly. The good times pass and the bad times come. We can't plan for that. We know that the tough times will come, but we have to do our best to keep up the good form we're in now.”
Signings
“It's a completely different issue to injuries. The approach the club took in the summer was fantastic, and the results are demonstrating that. The injury issue is a scheduling problem.”
On Rüdiger
“Let's see if he can rest. In all the games he has shown focus, a very good attitude and a lot of intelligence in his decision making. He's a perfect centre-back for us.”
On Kroos’s future
“He will make the decision because he has all the assets to do so in the most correct way. He's very much loved here, he knows that. He keeps going with the same consistency and the same quality as usual. His attitude hasn't changed and he feels very happy with Valverde, Tchouameni and Camavinga on the pitch. His level of performance is the same as always.”
Bellingham’s role in the dressing room
“He's highly respected for what he does on the pitch. It's not just the goals. The way he's adapted to the dressing room has been very good. He's a very modest guy. Entering the Real Madrid dressing room is quite easy, especially for the youngsters, because the ego level of the veterans is so low. For the new players it's much easier.”
Youth team
“Nico Paz is doing really well. He played his part in the game. The youth players who are with us are ready to play. I was certain that Nico Paz was going to contribute and I’ll feel the same about Gonzalo, Mario Martín and Theo Zidane when they play. I have to give priority to the first team, but it's good that they're with us at the moment.”
His best moment?
“It's a positive moment on a personal level. I always have to be watchful because tough or tricky moments are going to come and we have to be ready for them. We're doing very well, the relationship with the club is very good. This gives me even more motivation.”
Endrick
“We're observing him. We're delighted with him. We see that he is progressing very quickly and we're delighted that he can be with us next season.”