Ancelotti: "We've been working well; everyone is ready and in good shape"

Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media in the Soldier Field stadium press room in Chicago ahead of Real Madrid's final training session before their DirecTV Soccer Champions Tour opener against Milan (Thursday, 2:30pm CEST; Wednesday, 7:30pm local time). The coach said: "This pre-season is a little bit special. Little by little all the players are coming back, but so far we have worked well. We've been able to evaluate the young players well also. Everyone who has come back is in good shape, it's not like the pre-seasons of the past. Now the players arrive ready to play."
"We love to get a look at the young players from the youth academy, we have many quality players and this is a good moment for them."
Physical aspect
"I'm not worried. We have a spectacular squad in every position. We have Mbappé, who is a fantastic player. We don't have a lot of time to prepare for the first games, but the players will come back in good shape. They have a programme that starts 15 days before their arrival, but the most important thing for them was to rest after such a long season. The whole group will be back on the 7th and I think we'll be ready to start the season."
The absence of Kroos
"We're missing Kroos, but we have a lot of different possibilities to replace him, although in a different way because there is no player like him, with his quality. But we have many other resources."
Signings
"The squad is closed. Vallejo is back, Alaba is recovering and we have the youngsters who are training and have a lot of quality like the three centre-backs: Joan, Jacobo and Raúl. In this position we believe we are very well covered. Alaba will be back and he will do well. There are no departures because everyone wants to stay."
Change of style
"Vertical play was what we wanted also when Kroos was in the team. Getting into the opposition half quickly gives you more opportunities to create problems for the opposition. With or without Kroos it's an idea we have. Bellingham is a player who has the quality to get into the box. The closer he is, the better he is. We have midfielders like Ceballos, Modrić, Tchouameni, Camavinga or Valverde. I'm not saying we're going to play the same way, something will change, but not much. We have the idea of always controlling the game, being vertical and defending well. It's everything we did well last year."
Endrick
"It's been a very exciting week for him. He's very young and has impressive quality. He's powerful and very quick. He'll fit in with the team very well. I'm not going to ask too much of him because we have to keep in mind, especially in this first week, it's been a very exciting time for him. he's going to play 45 minutes tomorrow and we're delighted he's with us."
On Rüdiger
"He said something to Endrick in training, but nothing came of it. He's a fantastic player and a sensational team-mate."

Home-grown players
"They're very focused. I love coaching them. They want to learn, listen to everything and improve. It's great to coach them. I like them all, they all have quality. I don't know if they will play for Real Madrid one day, but I think they have a future in football."
Last season
"It was fantastic for many reasons. We were able to create a good team spirit and overcome injuries that forced us to improve. The players who maybe played fewer minutes helped the team a lot, like Fran García and Joselu. All the players who were not in the starting eleven supported the team a lot."
Success
"This club has been able to build a project thanks to the history and tradition of the club and the competence of the president and the general manager. They have been able to build a spectacular squad over time. This is the key for Madrid to be the biggest club in the world."
National teams
"I have a very good relationship with Javier Aguirre. I wish him all the best in his experience with Mexico, he has a good opportunity to prepare well for the World Cup at home. I will be a Mexico fan as I was at the World Cup in Russia. I'm still delighted to be at Madrid."
Change of system
"The system we're going to use can be 4-3-3 or 4-4-2. The same as last year. We have the resources in the squad to play using those systems."
Long season
"Hopefully it will be long, which means staying in all competitions. That's what we want when a season starts. A specific physical plan? We don't have one. If you play every three days it's complicated to think about a physical plan. In these three years we've had a lot of games, but we've reached the end of the year in very good condition. I think the same thing will happen this season. We have to think about individual rest, so as not to exhaust the players. It could be a good idea."
Milan
"They're doing a good job. Obviously, I wish the best to a team of which I have very good memories. They're doing a good job. Milan fans miss Paolo Maldini, but this is football. They have signed a fantastic striker like Morata and Camarda is a promising young player. Tomorrow will be a game for the youngsters."
Squad
"The Super Cup is still far away, so we are focused on the players we have now. We have a very good squad, even if we have players still on holiday. There's Courtois, Rüdiger, Fran García, Lucas, Modric, Ceballos, Arda Güler, Endrick, Brahim, Mario Martín... It's a good opportunity for us to show some good football, as always."
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