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Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Real Madrid will be competing against their fiercest rivals, Barcelona, in the final of the Spanish Super Cup tomorrow in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Real Madrid will be looking to win their first trophy of the 2023/24 season to add to their collection.
A spot in the finals was secured by Real Madrid when they overcame Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals by a score of 5-3 after extra time. Barcelona, on the other hand, defeated Osasuna by a score of 2-0 to set up a matchup for the championship match that will take place tomorrow.
The last time Real Madrid competed against Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, they were defeated by a significant margin. This is something that Carlo Ancelotti and his team will be desperate to prevent happening again tomorrow.
Within the context of his normal pre-match news conference, which took place on the eve of the game, manager Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media and discussed a variety of issues, one of which being the physical condition of some of his best players.
It is possible that Real Madrid may experience exhaustion tomorrow due to the fact that they played Atleti for a total of 120 minutes on Wednesday night. In response to a question concerning the physical condition of his players, Ancelotti said the following:
“Everything is OK, and we are not anxious. We are really close to winning the first championship of the season, and the squad is quite motivated.
Dani Carvajal, who did not practice with the rest of the group on Friday, was one of the players who seemed to have been severely affected by weariness. She did not participate in the workouts. Ancelotti, however, has said that the experienced right-back will be ready to play against Barcelona for the next match.
Because he is a veteran and requires more time, he has required more rest, but he is going to play. Overall, he is doing well.
In the days preceding up to the match, one of the most prominent topics of conversation was the question of who of Kepa Arrizabalaga and Andriy Lunin would be selected to start in goal. In response to the inquiry, the manager said, “I’ve made a decision, but I’m not going to give any hints.”
In addition, the Italian strategist had some positive things to say about his opponent at Barcelona, Xavi Hernandez, adding, “He does not have my experience, but his track record is very good.” He is doing really well, and the notion that he has is definitely helping him.
At the beginning of this week, when Toni Kroos came off the bench to play against Atleti, the Saudi Arabia fans greeted him with a lot of yells and whistles. Ancelotti responded as follows when asked whether it had an effect on the player:
“Toni hasn’t even caught it in her mind. It is not going to have any impact on him. He is prepared to play, but I haven’t had a conversation with him about it.
In the meanwhile, Real Madrid captain Nacho Fernandez will be beginning his very first major final under Carlo Ancelotti tomorrow. When the manager was queried about the position of the senior defender on the club, he responded as follows:
“He is one of the players who serves as an example for the people who are just starting out in terms of their level of professionalism and desire.”
In the early part of the week, Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid by a score of 5-3, and the replacements were instrumental in the victory. And when the manager of the Merengues was questioned about the significance of making the appropriate replacements during a game, he responded as follows:
“Matches are coming together with the eleven players who are going to open the game. Changes are seldom something that I consider in a preventative manner. Each and every match is unique and variable depending on the specifics. Before a match, you are not allowed to consider making a change. The positive aspect is that I am aware that people who are sitting on the bench are prepared.
The following is what Ancelotti had to say about how he would want to win tomorrow: “If we play better than Barca, we will not lose.” But even if we don’t deserve to win, I would still prefer to come out on top.
Ancelotti offered an answer in response to continued questions over the issue with the goalkeeper, adding, “I’m going to do something, I see how worried you are.” After Kepa came, he was a starter; nevertheless, he suffered an injury, and Lunin was deserving of some playing time. The situation is not detrimental to Kepa.
It seems that I am unable to choose a starter and a replacement at this time. The most essential thing is that both of them comprehend it, and that they have the capacity to comprehend it.
Ferland Mendy made his comeback from injury just in time to start against Atletico in the semifinals, and all indications point to him keeping his starting position against Barcelona as well.
In a statement of respect for the left-back, Ancelotti said, “When he’s healthy, he’s the best left-back in the world because of his defensive abilities.”
The manager of Real Madrid made the following statement when asked about the environment in Saudi Arabia: “It’s good, it’s a country where football has a lot of Real Madrid fans.”
Despite being overpowered by their opponents in the first period, Real Madrid emerged victorious in their match against Barcelona, which was the first time this season that the two teams had faced one other.
We have given it some thought. During the first half, we did not play very well, particularly in terms of our defense. When asked about the opening match of the season, Carlo Ancelotti said, “We are taking that into consideration, in addition to the eleven that they put out against us.”
Ancelotti said, “It’s an illusion to prepare for these matches, matches that everyone watches.” This was in reference to his forecast of how things would play out in the matchups that will take place tomorrow. That is going to be quite a show. You are concerned about a great deal of things, and it is challenging since, despite the fact that there is enthusiasm, you are concerned about doing properly.
“It’s a competition that ends tomorrow, an important title, but then there are other things,” he stated in response to a question about whether or not Real Madrid should be considered the leading contenders. In the future, it could be more even. It is the minute particulars that will determine the outcome in the end.”
“No, we go out at our best because of the demands of this shirt, there is no desire for revenge,” Ancelotti said in response to a question about whether or not they are planning to get retribution for the loss they suffered in the Super Cup final from the previous season. “We have a healthy respect for Barcelona, they are powerful, and they have defeated us, but we are hungry for every game.”
During the match that will take place tomorrow, Carlo Ancelotti will surpass Zinedine Zidane on the list of games that he has managed at Real Madrid. At the moment, the two are tied with a total of 263. In response to the question of what he has gained from the Frenchman, the present manager said the following:
I have seen a lot of players in training, but Zidane was by far the finest. Indeed, what he did was beyond comprehension. His familiarity with the club has been of great assistance to me in my role as an assistant. Through his assistance, I have been able to get familiar with the French language and to adjust to the culture of Spain.
The following is his response to the question of whether or not he is driven to surpass Zidane’s record: “No, of course, I’m happy, but titles remain on the cards.” You take a glance at them every once in a while, but the day following is far more significant. I continue to look forward, regardless of what may occur. There is no telling what will occur tomorrow, but we have another game scheduled for Thursday.