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Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images
Following their victory in the Spanish Super Cup, Real Madrid will be back in action tomorrow night in the Copa del Rey, where they will face Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16 of the competition.
A week ago, Los Blancos defeated their local rivals in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup by a score of 5-3 (after extra time). This decision was made in the context of the Spanish Super Cup.
In addition, Carlo Ancelotti and his team will be anxious to replicate similar achievements tomorrow; but, they will have to do it in a Civitas Metropolitano that is crowded, which is a challenge that will not be simple by any stretch of the imagination.
Before the game, the manager of Real Madrid had his traditional pre-match news conference, during which he covered a broad variety of subjects. The press conference took place on the eve of the match.
All is OK with the squad. “Tomorrow is going to be another very difficult game because Atlético is a very difficult opponent, and we anticipate an even more difficult game because they are playing at home, and they are doing very well there,” stated Ancelotti as he kicked off the proceedings.
Rodrygo Goes did not practice with the squad today, thus there was a possibility that he would not be able to play in the match that is scheduled for tomorrow. Ancelotti, however, put an end to any concerns that may have been raised about the Brazilian player by stating, “Rodrygo required one more day of low intensity, but he is ready for tomorrow.”
He continued by saying, “Rodrygo is back to playing at his best and he’s doing well, I think he’s doing well.” This was in reference to the forward’s performance.
When asked about the status of the injured Lucas Vazquez, he said, “Lucas will be back on Friday.” the statement was made.
“It’s clear that I’m going to put out the best team available, taking into account everyone’s tiredness,” Ancelotti said in response to a question regarding his intentions for tomorrow and whether or not there would be rotations in the lineup.
Ancelotti was asked whether he anticipated that Atletico Madrid would present Real Madrid with a guard of honor the next day, given that Real Madrid had just won the Super Cup. “If they do it, perfect, and if they don’t, perfect too,” the Italian was quoted as saying in answer to the question. I don’t give it any real thought.”
Real Madrid has only suffered one defeat so far this season, and they are presently on a two-game winning run. This is despite the fact that they have been plagued by a multitude of injuries. What Ancelotti had to say about the excellent run was as follows:
This is a tough question to answer since we have suffered a lot of injuries, but we have managed to keep our composure throughout this run. Because of the high level of intensity that we experience throughout training, we are able to maintain a very excellent physical condition.
Brahim Diaz, who has been in particularly fantastic shape over the course of the previous several months, was singled out for special attention, as Ancelotti stated:
As a result of his trip to Milan, Brahim has returned with a greater understanding of tactical concepts and with more legs. He stands out in confined places and is extremely crucial to us defensively. He is a prominent player. He is a tremendous asset to us and has performed well in each role he has had.
A further compliment was bestowed onto Federico Valverde by the manager, who emphasized that the Uruguayan player excels in whichever position or function he is assigned to.
When I questioned Valverde about his stance, he said that he did not care where I placed him. This means that his position is unclear. According to Ancelotti, the most essential thing is that he provides assistance to us and that he plays.
In response to Vinicius Jr.’s comeback from injury and his performance against Barcelona on Sunday, he made the following observation:
The finest version of Vinicius has returned. In the Clásico, he scored in a different manner, and he is training himself to play more inside. This makes him more dangerous because it makes him much less predictable, which in turn makes him more dangerous. His combination with Rodrygo is working out really nicely. Not only did I enjoy what he stated, but I also loved the three objectives.
He continued by saying, “Not winning the derby tomorrow can bring me down from the cloud.” He was acknowledging the significance of the contest that will take place tomorrow.
Ancelotti responded as follows when questioned about the situations surrounding Xavi Hernandez, the manager of Barcelona, whose position may be in jeopardy after the team’s defeat in the Super Cup final:
“No one has been placed in a difficult position by me. All of my coworkers have my highest respect, and I want to wish Xavi the best of luck, I hope he does well, and I am certain that he is equipped with all he needs to complete his job.
After that, the manager lauded both of his starting full-backs, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy, stating, “Carvajal is a master in his position and I’m not saying that, I’m saying that he has done it all this time.” Mendy was also highly applauded for his performance. The consistency that he is able to maintain while he is well is a direct result of his character.
It seems to me that Mendy is doing extremely well, based on what I have seen. Because it is not my responsibility, I am not aware of the number of years that are remaining on his contract.