Ancelotti: 'The team is very dangerous in attack with the quality of Vini, Benzema and Rodrygo.'
'We conceded two goals in a short slump and that's a good wake-up call,' said the coach.
Carlo Ancelotti appeared in the press room at the Santiago Bernabéu following the LaLiga matchday 32 win over Almería: 'I didn't have to risk Karim, but he's fine and he's proven that out there today. The team is very dangerous in attack with the quality of Vini, Benzema and Rodrygo because we play very well when in possession. The match went very well offensively.'
'I know very well what the team is capable of defensively. What I don't understand is how we've conceded six goals in two games. What's happened? We relaxed today despite trying to focus in defence. We did very well pressing after we lost possession and after we made it 3-0, our concentration slipped and they scored a goal, I got angry in the dressing room and we made it 4-1. Then we had another lapse in concentration and they scored again. It's a good wake-up call as we conceded two goals in a short slump. It won't happen in our upcoming games.'
Camavinga
'With Modrić out, I have the option to play him as a midfielder as I did in the first leg against Liverpool. We'll see whether Luka can get over his injury in time or not. Then we'll put together a good line-up for the cup final and the Champions League semi-final.'
Vini Jr. and his yellow cards
'Protesting doesn't get you anywhere, but it is surprising that he has had 10 yellow cards this season. He does have to improve in some aspects. More cards have been given to him than to those who have kicked him. Not even the dirtiest midfielder in LaLiga has 10 yellow cards.'
Rotations
'All my players are ready to play but also to rest. Today I rested Valverde, who has a knock on his foot, and Carvajal. I have the idea of resting players on Tuesday. Tuesday's game is complicated and against a tough opponent but I'm going to rest the players who are tired. I'm not going to do it for Saturday's game in mind because it's a long way off.'
Comparisons
'It's quite difficult to compare the 2014 attacking trio and this one. They're similar in terms of effectiveness and quality. They have different characteristics. The 2014 trio was extremely dangerous and the current one is also highly dangerous.'
'I know very well what the team is capable of defensively. What I don't understand is how we've conceded six goals in two games. What's happened? We relaxed today despite trying to focus in defence. We did very well pressing after we lost possession and after we made it 3-0, our concentration slipped and they scored a goal, I got angry in the dressing room and we made it 4-1. Then we had another lapse in concentration and they scored again. It's a good wake-up call as we conceded two goals in a short slump. It won't happen in our upcoming games.'
Camavinga
'With Modrić out, I have the option to play him as a midfielder as I did in the first leg against Liverpool. We'll see whether Luka can get over his injury in time or not. Then we'll put together a good line-up for the cup final and the Champions League semi-final.'
Vini Jr. and his yellow cards
'Protesting doesn't get you anywhere, but it is surprising that he has had 10 yellow cards this season. He does have to improve in some aspects. More cards have been given to him than to those who have kicked him. Not even the dirtiest midfielder in LaLiga has 10 yellow cards.'
Rotations
'All my players are ready to play but also to rest. Today I rested Valverde, who has a knock on his foot, and Carvajal. I have the idea of resting players on Tuesday. Tuesday's game is complicated and against a tough opponent but I'm going to rest the players who are tired. I'm not going to do it for Saturday's game in mind because it's a long way off.'
Comparisons
'It's quite difficult to compare the 2014 attacking trio and this one. They're similar in terms of effectiveness and quality. They have different characteristics. The 2014 trio was extremely dangerous and the current one is also highly dangerous.'
“Kroos prefers to open up play from deep, Vinicius likes to play on the outside and playing Camavinga on the inside gives us stability when Vini has the ball. He’s good at getting in behind. Sometimes he doesn’t have time to get there on a quick counterattack. When he can’t, it helps us if he’s in this position.”
The referee
“It should be a yellow card for protesting, but the referee is like a judge who mustn’t be affected by protests. If a player protests and then receives a foul, it has to be given. But not because he’s protested. The referee must be focussed in the game and if a player protests it should be a yellow card, but this can’t affect the following action.”
Fighting right to the end of the league
“Everything can happen in football. We have to focus on ourselves, we’ve got six games left and we have to win them.”
Fast-flowing football
“Football in recent years has been about positioning, fast-flowing football and for a long time the players want to play fast. There are some positions on the pitch, like wingers or forwards, or even midfielders, that don’t need to play one- or two-touch football. It’s ok to run with the ball.”
The referee
“It should be a yellow card for protesting, but the referee is like a judge who mustn’t be affected by protests. If a player protests and then receives a foul, it has to be given. But not because he’s protested. The referee must be focussed in the game and if a player protests it should be a yellow card, but this can’t affect the following action.”
Fighting right to the end of the league
“Everything can happen in football. We have to focus on ourselves, we’ve got six games left and we have to win them.”
Fast-flowing football
“Football in recent years has been about positioning, fast-flowing football and for a long time the players want to play fast. There are some positions on the pitch, like wingers or forwards, or even midfielders, that don’t need to play one- or two-touch football. It’s ok to run with the ball.”